Electronic water filter assembly with faucet connectors and dissimilar, upstream frusto-conical, downstream tubular-shaped, media

• US 10,471,375 B1
• Filed: 01/02/2017
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tern Water, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tern Water, Inc.
• Inventors: Zerban, Mohamed, White, Connor
• Primary Examiner(s): Brewster, Hayden
• Application Number:
  US15/396,694
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 210 87
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/08 Selective adsorption, e.g. chromatography
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/56 Wireless systems for monitoring the filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/143 Filter condition indicators
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/003 using household-type filters for producing potable water, e.g. pitchers, bottles, faucet mounted devices C02F9/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/281 using inorganic sorbents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/42 by ion-exchange ion-exchange in general B01J
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/505 by oligodynamic treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/009 Apparatus with independent power supply, e.g. solar cells, windpower, fuel cells for electrolysis apparatus C02F2201/46165
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/02 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/06 pH
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/10 Solids, e.g. total solids [TS], total suspended solids [TSS] or volatile solids [VS]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/06 Mounted on or being part of a faucet, shower handle or showerhead
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/212 Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation

Abstract

A water filter assembly is provided. The assembly includes an outer shell and a filter disposed inside the outer shell. The filter has an upstream portion constructed from a first media and a downstream portion constructed from a second media. A fluid flow meter is located downstream of the filter. An electronic processor is electronically connected to the fluid flow meter and is adapted to transmit a wireless signal to a remote electronic device to display flow information from the fluid flow meter.

Claims

1. An electronic water filter assembly for removable connection to a water faucet, the assembly comprising:

a plurality of faucet connectors adapted to be connected to a water faucet;

an outer shell having an upstream end removably connectable to each of the plurality of faucet connectors;

a filter disposed inside the outer shell, the filter comprising a generally frusto-conically shaped upstream portion constructed from a first media and a generally cylindrical downstream portion constructed from a second media, different from the first media;

at least two sensors located downstream of the filter, the at least two sensors comprising at least two of;

a fluid flow meter;

a temperature sensor;

a total suspended solids (“

TSS”

) sensor; and

a pH sensor;

an electronic processor electronically connected to each of the at least two sensors;

and

a transmitter electronically connected to each of the at least two sensors and adapted to transmit a wireless signal to a remote electronic device to display information from each of the at least two sensors.

2. The electronic water filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first media comprises a carbon block.

3. The electronic water filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second media can be varied in type and amount according to known or suspected contaminants in water in a particular geographic area.

4. The electronic water filter assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an inner housing disposed between the outer shell and the filter.

5. The electronic water filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fluid flow meter comprises a water turbine.

6. The electronic water filter according to claim 1, wherein the water turbine comprises a magnetized member and wherein the fluid flow meter further comprises a magnetic sensor.

7. The electronic water filter assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a first indicating indicia electronically connected to the electronic processor such that the first indicating indicia indicates when the filter assembly needs attention.

8. The electronic water filter assembly according to claim 7, further comprising a second indicating indicia electronically connected to the electronic processor such that the second indicating indicia indicates when the filter assembly is in proper working condition.

9. The electronic water filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the upstream portion has a generally frusto-conical shape.

10. The fluid filter assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an electrical power source electrically coupled to the electronic processor.

11. The fluid filter assembly according to claim 10, further comprising a first indicating indicia electronically connected to the electronic processor such that the first indicating indicia indicates when the filter assembly needs attention and a second indicating indicia electronically connected to the electronic processor such that the second indicating indicia indicates when the filter assembly is in proper working condition.

12. The fluid filter assembly according to claim 11, wherein the first indicating indicia comprises a light having a first color and the second indicating indicia comprises a light having a second color.

13. The fluid filter assembly according to claim 11, further comprising one of a transparent band and a translucent band disposed around the first and second indicating indicia.

14. The fluid filter assembly according to claim 13, wherein the one of the transparent band and the translucent band is located downstream of the filter.

15. The fluid filter assembly according to claim 14, further comprising an inner filter housing located between the outer hosing and the filter.

16. The fluid filter assembly according to claim 15, wherein the inner filter housing has a generally frusto-conically shaped upstream end and a generally tubularly shaped downstream end.

17. The fluid filter assembly according to claim 15, further comprising a filter cap disposed downstream of the filter and adapted to engage the inner filter housing.

18. The fluid filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the downstream portion of the filter comprises at least two of zeolites, copper, zinc, silver and gold.

19. The fluid filter assembly according to claim 18, wherein the downstream portion of the filter further comprises granulated carbon.