WO2012169995A1

WO2012169995A1 - Enhanced biological filter for sports bottles

Info

Publication number: WO2012169995A1
Application number: PCT/US2011/001045
Authority: WO
Inventors: JR. John E. NOHREN
Original assignee: Nohren Jr John E
Priority date: 2011-06-09
Filing date: 2011-06-09
Publication date: 2012-12-13

Abstract

A water filtering sports bottle with a top contained filtration system. The system includes a sports bottle having a bottle top with a bottle opening. A circular housing top (2) has a downwardly extending cylindrical upper wall and an upwardly extending cylindrical coupling wall. A circular base end cap (7) has an upwardly extending cylindrical lower wall. A pleated inner CLM filter (5) has upper and lower ends forming radially exterior and interior regions. A first filter (4) is located within the exterior region and a second filter (6) is located within the interior region. Upper and lower potting compounds (8) secure the first filter to the housing top and the base end cap.

Description

ENHANCED BIOLOGICAL FILTER FOR SPORTS BOTTLES

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Related Application

The present application is an improvement over my prior patent, U.S. Patent Number 7,473,362, the subject matter of which application is incorporated herein by reference.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an enhanced

biological filter for sports bottles and more particularly pertains to a water filtering sports bottle with attached top and contained filtration system for receiving and dispensing water while purifying the water being

dispensed, the receiving and dispensing and purifying being done in a safe, sanitary, convenient and economical manner.

Description of the Prior Art

For years the need for a portable product capable of significantly reducing biological contamination in surface as well as ground water has been recognized. A number of products have been brought forth to address this need, all of which have had major shortcomings. This included products which used iodine as iodated resins which had the disadvantage of being toxic to the thyroid as well as eluting the foul taste and odor of iodine. Another

shortcoming was the need to establish a dwell or residence time approximating 30 minutes to affect a_. "kill" with either iodine or chlorine. This frequently presented a problem when the user either did not have the disinfectant available or provided adequate time prior to the ingestion of the supposedly treated water thus seriously reducing the effectiveness.

A second type of product relied on the application of a hollow fiber membrane to eliminate the transmittal of protozoa cysts and bacteria by size exclusion. The pore size of hollow fiber membranes being limited to 2 μιτι absolute. This type product, which may be preceded by a carbon block type filter, had the disadvantage of a significant pressure drop of 3 to >10 psi and periodically suffered from air blocks, but more specifically was very quickly fouled by turbidity present in most surface waters .

Previous experimentation with single pleated sheets of the original Disruptor® PAC media produced by Ahlstrom while providing a low pressure drop was not as effective as desired for the removal of bacteria, virus, and

chemical content. Disruptor® is a trademark owned by Ahlstrom Corporation, a Corporation of Finland having a place of business at Salmisaarenaukio 1 Helsinki Finland FI-00180. Disruptor® relates to non-woven filtration media containing boehmite nano fibers attached to nano or micro glass fibre creating an electro positive filtration component with a charge potential of >50 millivolts when combined with cellulosic and polymeric elements in the form of a non woven sheet with ported of 1 - 2 micron.

We did find, however, performance could be enhanced by increasing the number of layers. However, when in direct contact, one- sheet with another, or as a true cylinder, not pleated, and consisting of two or more sheets it was found such an arrangement had a higher pressure drop than could be comfortably used by most individuals in conjunction with a stainless steel sport bottle, and proving more difficult to flow water with a plastic squeeze bottle.

The differences between the physically integrated membranes in direct contact, one with the other, and when separated by structural positioning, or through the use of an intermediate porous structure as a spacer, or more open structure non woven, enhanced flow while reducing pressure drop. Another benefit was the creation of a void area which could accumulate biological contaminants that escaped through the first membrane layer and enhanced the reduction of chemical contaminants, as well.

From field experience it has become evident that there are different product requirements that suit different purposes. The single layer membrane filter containing powdered activated carbon, from 25 percent to 40 percent of the total filter sheet weight, is excellent for the general treatment of municipal treated water. However, the separated dual layers improved performed as desired for the removal of biological contamination. The single layer products using Disrupter® brand media, or Charged Layered Membranes, which we term media with similar characteristics can be further enhanced by the addition of a second non-woven media produced by Gramarco that has electro positive alumina or other selected media bonded to a polyester substrate.

In addition, this same polyester substrate non-woven media may be used as the interlayer separator when a double layer of Charged Layered Membrane (CLM) media is used and may be treated for bacteria static use or biocidal purposes or be independently charge positive or charge negative further enhancing the adhesion

characteristics of the adjacent charged membrane sheets. The interlayer non-woven sheet is a polyester substrate with binder supporting a charge positive alumina, fine activated carbon, a zeolite such as ATS for heavy metal reduction, iodinated resin as a biocide, ligands for the removal of radio active isotopes, or enabling the

reduction of hexavalent chromium.

Another design option incorporates a hollow carbon composite core filter that incorporates the use of zeolites to remove lead contamination where prevalent. The addition of the carbon element necessitates slightly more pressure; i.e., exhibiting a higher pressure drop. The carbon composite cylindrical core functions in the radial flow mode and may also contain charged non-woven media within the open center.

The use of either single or double layers of the CLM media together with the non-woven treated with positively charged alumina is particularly adaptable to stainless bottles and may be configured to be used attached to the top typically by means of a threaded connection providing a means to form a biological seal using a single or double O-ring eliminating the seepage of untreated water within the bottle to the drinking port in the form of a pull-push valve or flip type straw valve. The filter can also be attached to a filter extension placing the filter at the base of the bottle for use in a bottle in the up-right vertical mode using typically a plastic flip type valve.

While we use the Disrupter®, or CLM, as the media, any similar media with the following characteristics would be adaptable. 50% -90% by volume Nano alumina bonded to Nano glass fibers exerting a columbic charge of 25 - 75μν. A stock thickness may be laid up from 0.5 mm to ~ 2.0 mm. The inert supporting material making up the sheet may be highly porous cellulose; cellulose containing FDA approved thermo plastic particles or porous plastic as produced by Porex, finely ground carbon approximating 0.8 microns is added to -25% - 40% by weight as an additive. ATS, a zeolite for lead reduction may be added replacing a similar percentage of carbon by volume, as well as

Microban or similar antimicrobial to prohibit the growth of retained microbiological contaminants. This core is then placed between sheets of polyester scrim.

The following chart is typical for Disrupter®

Filtration Mechanism:

Carbon Adsorption

Electokinetic Adsorption Individual Membrane Thickness ~0.8 -1.3mm

Membrane Pore Size <2μιτι

Nano Alumina Surface Area >42, OOOmVm²

filter media

Nano Al positive charge per site ~50μν

Density Nano Al Fibers ~2.7g/c³

Membrane surface -90% pores / 10% solid

Adhesion sites per avg. pore depth 0.8 mm -400 Pressure Drop Δ Ρ <2 psi

Flow rate 10 -30 ml/sec

without restrictor Operational pH range 5-10

PAC carbon sieve size - 90% <625

The positive charge spanning the pores effectively captures and retains target contaminants by electro adhesion. Negatively charged contaminants include the full range of biological contaminants as well as dipoles such as turbidity and small particulates. Most

importantly, for uses herein presented, the very low pressure drop across the CLM media surface of ~0.3 - < 2 psi per pleated sheets in a ~1:5" x 1-1/4" and larger filter configuration permits ease of use in metal bottles that only rely on the negative pressure drop caused by the user sucking on the water delivery tube or valve.

While the application for the elimination of charge specific contaminants is a major advantage, the CLM media is also available containing very fine powdered activated carbon, ~8 μιη grain size. Some 30 - 35% of the weight of the CLM sheet consists of this very effective carbon which is held in place by the positive charge potential thus making the entire surface of the carbon available without sites being blinded by a binder.

It has also been learned that the CLM can be

converted into granular media form by cutting sheet stock into pieces smaller or larger than ~lmm X 1mm X 0.8mm and using the thusly generated particles as a bulk bed media for the internal section of a central tube providing an axial flow. The media can also be cut into threads.

As a result of the low pressure drop two sheets of CL media are preferably employed for biological,

separated one from the other by a -0.040 air gap or by means of a compressed and treated non-woven as previously described. Non-woven FDA approved filtration media suitable for use in the presented applications is

available from Gramarco in West Brookfield, Mass. The media may be varied in both thickness and porosity to either enhance flow or to provide a reduced pore size containing additional adhesion sites as well as a

torturous path. By compressing the 0.125"- 0.250" thick non-woven media sheet between the CLM sheets to a finished thickness of -0.050"- 0.100" the internal void size is preferably controlled to <1 mm.

When a single layer of CLM is used in a pleated cylindrical form and the internal volume thus created by the cylinder is filled with either non-woven containing charged alumina or any of the several other special purpose medias bonded to the polyester substrate an enhanced filtration capability is obtained. The internal void generated by the pleated CLM filter is preferably created without a center supporting core. This is

accomplished with an external housing extending up from the base with opening for water ports near the point of engagement with the top of the filter housing or simply by the binding of the pleated cylinder t the housing top and base section. The pleated cylinder exerting an expanding force outward from the center is retained during filter assembly and potting by the outer housing wall.

To add the non-woven as a spacer or internal filter to the CLM filter, subsequent to pleating and welding into the pleated cylinder configuration, the pleated cylinder is expanded while the interior is filled with the treated non-woven filter material. The pleated cylinder when then reconfigured into its pleated design outer diameter, reducing the interior volume, the non-woven occupies the volume through the center as well as into the voids within the pleats. Alternatively, when a center core is used it is preferable to have a solid hollow core that has water access ports at the base providing maximum water contact over the full axial length of the center tube with

sufficient void area within the media to retain ≥5-10 ml water, enhancing the use of non-woven media or an

alternative media such as an alkalizing media with

oxidation and reduction properties such as a media

developed by Western Water elevating the pH of normal water from a pH of 7 to a pH of 9 - 9.5 at a water flow of 10 ml/sec. The same media may also reduce the oxidation reduction potential by ~400 points.

It is also preferable when using the non-woven to fill the internal central void of the pleated CLM media, to adjust the overall active filtration length so that with a given filter diameter sufficient interior volume is present to contain 10 ml or more water within the

non-woven filter media. Ten mis, or CC's represents a typical mouthful of water. The water retained within the filter housing until drunk provides time for "static filtration" to remove contaminants by contact with the media, which when absorbed, the constant search for equilibrium within the contained body of water brings other present contaminants into media contact eventually removing all targeted contaminants. The filter housing acts as a leak proof cup to retain the water during the dwell period of the filter within which the "static

Filtration" media is immersed. The low pressure drop, while a very positive

characteristic of the CLM media, can also present a problem. When used with a plastic squeeze bottle that may be "pumped", the rapid instantaneous flow may overpower the ability of the CLM to retain the contaminant

particulates against the pressure of the water flow, defeating the purpose and primary advantage of the CLM filter. To preclude this from happening a flow restrictor may be placed in the line of flow just preceding the valve or mouth piece. As the filters which cover a wide range of sizes and are fit to different style and types of bottles with varying abilities to be "pumped" an

elastomeric grommet is used to vary the diameter of the restriction limiting the flow to 5 ml/sec under what is perceived to be normal conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of water filters now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved enhanced biological filter for sports bottles. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved enhanced biological filter for sports bottles title and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a water filtering sports bottle with pressure relief valved top attached filtration system for receiving and dispensing water while purifying the water being dispensed, the receiving and dispensing and purifying being done in a safe, sanitary, convenient and economical manner. The system comprising, in combination, a sports bottle having a pressure release valved bottle top with a bottle opening, the sports bottle adapted to receive and dispense water. Next provided is a circular housing top having a downwardly extending cylindrical upper wall forming an upper potting region, the circular housing top further having an upwardly extending cylindrical coupling wall for operatively coupling the housing top to the bottle top. A circular base end cap has an upwardly extending cylindrical lower wall forming a lower potting region, the housing top and the base end cap being

fabricated of an essentially rigid plastic material.

Provided next is a pleated inner CL filter having an upper end adjacent to and centered in the housing top, the inner tube having a lower end adjacent to" and centered in the base end cap, the inner tube forming an exterior region radially exterior of the inner tube, the inner tube forming an interior region radially interior of the inner tube, the inner tube being fabricated of a porous material and adapted to pass water radially there through during filtering. Next, a first filter has upper and lower ends located within the exterior region between the housing top and the base end cap, the first filter being fabricated of a non-woven charged layered membrane. A second filter has upper and lower ends located within the interior region between the housing top and the base end cap, the second filter being fabricated of a positively charged non-woven media. Lastly, an upper potting compound in the upper potting region secures the first filter to the housing top and a lower potting compound in the upper potting region secures the first filter to the base end cap.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be

described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be

understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is

important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention .

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved enhanced biological filter for sports bottles which has all of the advantages of the prior art filtering systems and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved enhanced biological filter for sports bottles which may be easily and efficiently

manufactured and marketed.

It is further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved enhanced biological filter for sports bottles which is of durable and reliable

constructions.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved enhanced biological filter for sports bottles which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such enhanced biological filter for sports bottles economically

available to the buying public.

Even still another object of the present invention is to provide an enhanced biological filter for sports bottles with superior filtering of well, pond and surface waters.

Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved water filtering sports bottle with a top contained filtration system. The system includes a sports bottle having a valved bottle top with a bottle opening. A circular housing top has a downwardly extending cylindrical upper wall and an upwardly extending cylindrical coupling wall. A circular base end cap has an upwardly extending cylindrical lower wall. A pleated inner CLM filter has upper and lower ends forming radially exterior and interior regions. A first filter is located within the exterior region and a second filter is located within the interior region. Upper and lower potting compounds secure the first filter to the housing top and the base end cap.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which

characterize the invention, are pointed out with

particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is

illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed

description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure 1 shows a combination two stage filter with Disrupter® media as the first filter and positively charged non-woven as the second filter. . Water entry to the second filter media is at the base of the filter providing an axial flow path the length of filter.

Figure 2 is an end view section A - A of Figure 1 showing the pleated configuration as well as the openings at the base for water entry.

Figure 3 shows a similar filter with the base side walls extended to just short by about 0.10" from the top housing forming a cup retaining water; also, a central supporting hollow carbon composite filter core which may remain with an empty center or contain a third water treatment media.

Figure 4 shows a filter mounted on a molded tube that connects to a typical stainless bottle top. The base of the filter is closed with the exception of water access openings in the base between the first filter and side wall.

Figure 5 shows the pleated external media supported by an external wall with the internal space filled with a non-woven charged media nesting directly against the external pleated media and extending out into the pleated area.

Figure 6 is a view through section B - B showing the outer wall extension of the base 41, supporting the external pleated filter and the area available for the secondary non-woven filtration media. Figure 7 shows a filter consisting of two independent and separate CLM layers which are retained in a preferred relationship, one with the other, by means of radial positioning posts which align the pleats, on with the other precluding movement permitting the independent layers to maintain the design spacing between the layers without hampering the flow of water through the filter layers.

Figure 8 is a section view through C - C showing the array of pleated media positioning posts.

Figure 9 shows a dual layer filter with a treated non-woven filter separating the CLM layers. The external layer is retained by the outer wall of the housing which extends to the top section of the housing and has

intermittent openings near the top for water entry. The inner CLM layer is supported radially by the internal hollow cylindrical post. This post may be highly porous permitting radial water flow or solid, as shown with water entry near the base delivering axial water flow over the inner length of the inner tube should it be desired to add an additional media in the center void for the purpose of alkalizing the water and reducing the oxidation reduction potential, or such other media as may be specified

including chipped CLM.

Figure 10 is view D - D through Figure 9 showing the fibrous non-woven media compressed between the CLM layers, the center tube and optional media within the center tube, in this instance chipped CLM.

The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various Figures.

Detail Description of the Invention

Figure 1: The threaded top 1, is molded as a

component of the top housing 2, which also has a screen 3 molded in to retain the media within the center

compartment 6. The first filter 4 is CLM media potted in place at 8 to the top housing 2 and base end cap 7. The inner tube 5 forms the inner filter compartment filled with positively charged non-woven media 6 and may be an extension of top 2. The entry ports 9 are spaced

circumferentially about the base of tube 5.

As may be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the inner tube is a solid center tube with water access ports 9 open only at the base for water entry providing for axial filtration through the entire length of the inner tube filled with the secondary positively charged alumina coated non-woven media compressed to provide a void size of less than 1mm and in combination with the CLM media removing a minimum of 99.99% of protozoa cysts and bacteria.

In the preferred embodiment, the second filter is a positively charged alumina coated polyester non-woven media filter within the porous inner tube. The assembly is adaptable as the result of a low pressure drop of

0.3-2.0 psi to stainless steel, aluminum, as well as plastic bottles typically referred to as Sport Bottles removing chlorine, taste, and odor in keeping with NSF 42 specifications while concurrently removing up to 99.99% or greater of biological contamination consisting of protozoa and bacteria in line with the testing protocol of NSF 53 at a flow rate of 5ml/sec flow.

Figure 2: Is an a view AA from Figure 1 and shows the base 7, the CLM media 4, the inner tube 5, with openings 9. All components are bonded together by the potting media 8. The center compartment formed by the tube 5 is filled with the non-woven media 6.

As may be seen in Figure 2, the pleated inner CLM filter is a pleated filter of Disrupter® or CLM pleated media by means of an external housing, ported at the top, extending up as a component of the base connecting the top housing to the base, rather than though the use of an interior center core, thus forming a cup providing an internal volume sufficient to house a second filtration media such as a non-woven as a substrate supporting charged alumina, permitting the use of static filtration by retaining ~10 ml of water when not being used, further enhancing the ability to remove negatively charged matter such as biological contaminants while retaining a low pressure drop between 0.3 and 2 psi when flowing at a rate of 5 ml/sec or greater.

Figure 3: The threaded top 1, is molded as a

component of the top housing 2, which also has a screen 3 molded in to retain the media 6 within the center

compartment within carbon filter 12. The first filter 4 is CLM media potted in place at 8 to the top housing 2 and base end cap 10, the side walls of which 11, form an outer housing that encloses the filter except for water entry opening 13. The inner carbon composite filter tube 12, forms the inner filter compartment which is filled with positively charged non-woven media 6. The water entering at access port 13, is distributed over the exterior of the CLM surface 4 through which the water passes radially and then continues flowing radially through the carbon

composite filter 12 into the internal non-woven media 6, for and flows axially up through the non-woven media 6 exiting through media retaining screen 3.

Figure 4: Shows a modified filter 22, mounted by threaded connection 20, plastic extension straw 29, which in-turn threads to stainless bottle cap 30. At the point of connection to the bottle cap two O-ring seals 26 are used to prevent water by-pass, as they are at the point of assembly of straw 29, to the filter threaded connection 20. The top 30 contains an air relief valve 31 and a pull-push valve 32. The filter housing 22 contains the CLM media 23 and highly porous center tube 24 containing the positively charged non-woven media 34 retained at the housing top by molded-in screen 28 and the base 26. The base 26 supports the potting and sealing material 21. The base has scalloped openings 25 for water entry between the pleats of the CLM media 23. When a pressure differential is created by sucking on valve 32 water is drawn up into the water distribution channel 33 and passes radially through the CLM media 23, the water openings 27 in tube 24, and into the non-woven media 34 and out through tube 29 exiting at valve 32.

As illustrated in Figure 4, the filter is positioned at the bottom of a bottle. The system further includes an attaching plastic tube/straw coupled to the top of a bottle for drinking while in the general up-right vertical position. An outer filter housing extends from the top filter housing to the base with water entry through an opening in the base between the base and vertical side wall distributing the influent water along the vertically exposed surface of first CLM filter for radial entry flow through the first filter and directly into the second non-woven filter hence flowing up through the tube to the exit port.

Figure 5: Maximizes the volume available for placing the charged non-woven media 6 within the internal volume of the external pleated filter 4, normally CLM or similar charged media which may contain carbon or other ancillary treatment compound. The external pleated media 4 is supported by the external shell 41, a component and extension of the base 40, which locks to the top 44 with interlocking ring 42. The top 44 has the integrated threaded boss 1 and has flow control grommet 45 inserted therein.. The pleated CLM external media 4 is potted in place by potting compound 8. Non-woven media 6 is

assembled into the external CLM 4 pleated form while in an expanded shape and subsequently compressed within 4 to the presented shape when inserted within the housing 41. As an alternate embodiment, the second filter is a center tube within the pleated CLM type media winner tube with water access at the tube base thus providing the entire length of the tube for axial water flow and

containing any one of several secondary treatment medias which may be granular in nature such as alkalizing media for pH enhancement and water enrichment, KDF zinc/copper media for treating hexavalent chromium, or media for the removal or radio active contaminants through the use of contaminant specific ligands bonded to inert substrates.

Further in regard to Figures 5, 7 and 9, the system further includes a grommet 45 acting as a flow restrictor that may be inserted into the exit opening of a sport bottle filter with a reduced hole diameter sized between 0.050" and 0.100" to limit the treated water flow to

~5ml/sec with a pressure of 2 psi.

Figure 6: Is a cross section B -B essentially showing the compression of the non-woven media 6 contained within the CLM media 4 which in turn is restrained by housing 41 and potting 8, securing and sealing the pleated media 4 to the base providing the maximum internal area to house the non-woven charged media 6.

Figure 7: Shows a dual layered CLM filter consisting of the threaded top 1 with flow control grommet 45 and base side wall 41 snapped to top 1 by locking ring 42. Contained within the housing pleated CLM filter 4, has pleated CLM 46 nested inside, CLM 4 being radially

positioned by (4) orienting bosses 48 and separated by expansion limiting posts 49 from inner CLM filter 46, which is also radially oriented by post 50 extending up from the base of housing 41. The air separation 47 is thusly formed. The CLM media pleated filters are secured to the top and base housings by potting material 8. Water enters the housing 41 through spaced openings 43 and the housing 41 is secured to the top by locking and seal ring 42.

In this alternate embodiment, the inner tube includes two nested pleated CLM media filters, initially positioned radially by orienting bosses in the outer filter wall and inner center core, and potted to the housing top and base. The CLM filter layers are separated by an air space of 0.020"- 0.10" with a combined surface area of =0.75 ft2 reducing the biological contaminant level in conformance with the recommendations of the Environmental Protection Agency with a flow rate of =5ml/sec, with an applied pressure differential of 1-2 psi. Further included is an activated alumina treated non-woven media compressed between the CLM layers as the means to maintain the separation between the nested CLM filter layers. In addition, further included is a non-woven media contained and sandwiched between the inner and outer layers

providing separation and with the non-woven filtration media filling the entire void internal area within the interior CLM filter.

Figure 8: Shows the cross sectional view C - C where 41 is the base and side wall, 48 outer radial positioning Bosses, 49 (optional) expansion limiting posts, 50 inner CLM radial positioning posts, and inner CLM media pleated media filter 46, and outer CLM pleated media filter 4, potted and sealed in place 8, and forming the air void between the CLM layers 47.

Figure 9: Shows a filter housing containing four filtration medias combined within a filter housing 41, which is attached to the top 1, by the locking and seal ring 42 with water entry port 43, permitting the influent water to flow over the entire surface of external CLM filter 4, passing through sandwiched non-woven filter 55, hence radially through internal CLM filter 46, where the water is directed by the external surface of the center tube 56, to the water transfer port 58 (4), after which the water is directed up through the internal media 57 which may be one of several medias that may be used, but shown as chipped particles of CLM, exiting the filter through the flow control grommet 45, and exiting the bottle not shown. The CLM pleated filters 4 and 46 and center tube 56 are potted to the top 1 and base with side walls 41 by potting compound 8.

Figure 10: Represents the plan view D - D showing the base with outer housing 41, retaining the external pleated filter 4, the sandwiched non-woven media 55, and interior CLM filter 46, supported by center tube 56, containing chipped or particularized CLM media 57, and potting media 8 securing the pleated filters 4 and 46, as well as center tube 56. In this embodiment, the inner tube includes a pleated CLM media filter formed around an inner cylindrical core containing a CLM media cut and/or fabricated into particles of ~lmm x 1mm x 0.8mm or larger in size, and/or including threads of CLM media of various lengths and minimum width of ~lmm. In addition, the pleated inner CLM filter may be eliminated placing and filling the internal void within the 2nd pleated CLM with the chipped CLM media, or an alternative media.

As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent

relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be

encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as

illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A water filtering sports bottle with top

contained filtration system for receiving and dispensing water while filtering and treating the water being

dispensed, the receiving and dispensing and purifying being done in a safe, sanitary, convenient and economical manner, the system comprising, in combination:

a sports bottle having a vented and valved bottle top with a bottle opening, the sports bottle adapted to receive and dispense water;

a circular housing top 2 having a downwardly

extending cylindrical upper wall forming an upper potting region, the circular housing top further having an

upwardly extending cylindrical coupling wall for

operatively coupling the housing top to the bottle top; a circular base end cap 7 having an upwardly

extending cylindrical lower wall forming a lower potting region, the housing top and the base end cap being

fabricated of an essentially rigid plastic material;

a pleated inner CLM filter 5 having an upper end adjacent to and centered in the housing top, the pleated inner CLM filter having a lower end adjacent to and centered in the base end cap, the pleated inner CLM filter forming an exterior region radially exteriorly, the pleated inner CLM filter forming an interior region radially, the pleated inner CLM filter being fabricated of either a solid component open at base or porous material and adapted to pass water there through during filtering; a pleated cylindrical first filter 4 having upper and lower ends located within the exterior region between the housing top and the base end cap, the first filter being fabricated of a non-woven charged layered membrane exhibiting a high porosity and low pressure drop 0.3-2 psi flowing 5 ml/sec. or more while exhibiting a positive electrical charge potential of 50mv extending over normal pore diamotons of 1-2 micron;

a second filter 6 having upper and lower ends located within the interior region between the housing top and the base end cap, the second filter being fabricated of a positively charged alumina coated non-woven media;

an upper potting compound 8 in the upper potting region securing the first filter to the housing top; and a lower potting compound 8 in the upper potting region securing the first filter to the base end cap.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first filter also contains powdered activated carbon from 25 percent - 40 percent of the total filter sheet weight, the second filter is a positively charged alumina coated polyester non-woven media filter within the porous inner tube compressed to have void areas within the fiber mass of <1 mm, the assembly adaptable as the result of a low pressure drop of 0.3 -1.0 psi to stainless steel,

aluminum, as well as plastic bottles typically referred to as Sport Bottles removing chlorine, taste, and odor in keeping with NSF 42 specifications while concurrently removing up to 99.99% or greater of biological

contamination consisting of protozoa and bacteria in line with the testing protocol of NSF 53 at a flow rate of 5ml/sec flow, or greater.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pleated inner CLM filter includes a solid center tube with water access ports 9 open only at the base for water entry providing for axial filtration through the entire length of the pleated inner CLM filter filled with the secondary positively charged alumina coated non-woven media compressed to provide a void size of less than 1mm and in combination with the CLM media removing a minimum of

99.99% of protozoa cysts and bacteria.

4. The system as set forth as set forth in claim 1 wherein the filter is positioned at the bottom of a bottle, and further including an attaching plastic

tube/straw 29 coupled to the top of a bottle for drinking while in the general up-right vertical position with an outer filter housing extending from the top filter housing to the base with water entry through an opening in the base between the base and vertical side wall distributing the influent water along the vertically exposed surface of first CLM filter for radial entry flow through the first filter and directly into the second non-woven filter hence flowing up through the tube to the exit port.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second filter is an open center carbon composite filter as the inner core.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pleated inner CLM filter is a pleated filter of Disrupter® or CLM pleated media by means of an external housing, ported at the top, extending up as a component of the base connecting the top housing to the base, rather than though the use of an interior center core, thus forming a cup providing an internal volume sufficient to house a second filtration media such as a non-woven as a substrate supporting charged alumina, permitting the use of static filtration by retaining ~10 ml of water when not being used, further enhancing the ability to remove negatively charged matter such as biological contaminants while retaining a low pressure drop between 0.3 and 2 psi when flowing at a rate of 5 ml/sec or greater.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second filter is a center tube within the pleated CLM type media inner tube with water access at the tube base thus providing the entire length of the tube for axial water flow and containing any one of several secondary treatment medias which may be granular in nature such as alkalizing media for pH enhancement and water enrichment, KDF

zinc/copper media for treating hexavalent chromium, or media for the removal or radio active contaminants through the use of contaminant specific ligands bonded to inert substrates .

8. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pleated inner CLM filter includes a pleated CLM media filter formed around an inner cylindrical core containing a CLM media cut or fabricated into particles of ~lmm x 1mm x 0.8mm or larger in size, and/or including threads of CLM media of various lengths and minimum width of ~lmm.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1 and further including a grommet 45 acting as a flow restrictor that may be inserted into the exit opening of a sport bottle filter with a reduced hole diameter sized between 0.050" and 0.100" to limit the treated water flow to ~5ml/sec with a pressure of 1 - 3 psi.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pleated inner CLM filter includes two nested pleated CLM media filters 4, 46, initially positioned radially by orienting bosses in the outer filter wall and inner center core or base, and potted to the housing top and base, the CLM filter layers separated by an air space of 0.020"- 0.10" with a combined surface area of -0.50 ft2 or greater reducing the biological contaminant level in conformance with the recommendations the Environmental Protection Agency with a flow rate 5ml/sec, with an applied pressure differential of psi .

11. The system as set forth in claim 10 and further including an activated alumina treated non-woven media compressed between the CLM layers as the means to maintain the separation between the nested CLM filter layers.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11 and further including a non-woven media contained and sandwiched between the inner and outer layers providing separation and with the non-woven filtration media filling the entire void internal area within the interior CLM filter.