Apparatus for treating wash water supplied
First Claim
1. A water treatment apparatus for providing activated wash water to washing machines for cleaning clothing, comprising:
- a water treatment conduit having a water inlet capable of connecting to a supply of water and a water outlet capable of connecting to a water inlet of a washing machine for communicating treated wash water to a tub of the washing machine;
a reactor chamber comprising;
at least one UV lamp; and
a coated metal target capable of generating oxidizing gases in atmosphere upon exposure to light from the UV lamp;
an injector for communicating oxidizing gases generated in the reactor chamber into the water treatment conduit;
a transparent conduit in a portion of the water treatment conduit disposed for illumination by the UV lamp to treat the oxidated water;
a disinfector configured for inserting a disinfectant into the treated oxidated water passing through the water treatment conduit; and
a controller for activating the UV lamp and the disinfector during flow of water through the water treatment conduit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for providing activated treated water to washing machines with a water treatment conduit connected between a water supply and an inlet of the washing machine, having a reactor chamber with a UV lamp and a coated metal target that generates oxidizing gases that communicate by an injector into the conduit and a transparent portion of the conduit treats the oxidated water by illumination from the UV lamp. A disinfector injects disinfecting silver ions into the treated oxidated water. A controller activates the apparatus during flow of water through the conduit. A method of activating and treating water for washing machines is disclosed.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A water treatment apparatus for providing activated wash water to washing machines for cleaning clothing, comprising:
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a water treatment conduit having a water inlet capable of connecting to a supply of water and a water outlet capable of connecting to a water inlet of a washing machine for communicating treated wash water to a tub of the washing machine;
a reactor chamber comprising;
at least one UV lamp; and
a coated metal target capable of generating oxidizing gases in atmosphere upon exposure to light from the UV lamp;
an injector for communicating oxidizing gases generated in the reactor chamber into the water treatment conduit;
a transparent conduit in a portion of the water treatment conduit disposed for illumination by the UV lamp to treat the oxidated water;
a disinfector configured for inserting a disinfectant into the treated oxidated water passing through the water treatment conduit; and
a controller for activating the UV lamp and the disinfector during flow of water through the water treatment conduit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 26)
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15. A water treatment apparatus for providing activated wash water to washing machines for cleaning clothing, comprising:
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a water treatment conduit having a water inlet capable of connecting to a supply of water, a water outlet capable of connecting to a water inlet of a washing machine for communicating treated wash water to a tub of the washing machine, and an intermediate transparent portion;
a reactor chamber open to atmosphere comprising;
at least one UV lamp disposed in light communicative relation to the transparent portion of the water treatment conduit for exposing oxidated water to UV light; and
a coated metal target capable of generating oxidizing gases in atmosphere upon exposure to light from the UV lamp;
an injector for communicating oxidizing gases generated in the reactor chamber into the water treatment conduit to oxidate the water therein;
a disinfecting ion generator that injects disinfecting ions into the flow of treated oxidated water passing through the water treatment conduit;
a controller for activating the UV lamp and the disinfecting ion generator during flow of water through the water treatment conduit; and
an initializer for setting the controller to operate the UV lamp and disinfecting ion generator, the initializer configured for detecting a nominal electrical current communicated to the washing machine during a non-operational period with the washing machine connected to a supply of electrical current, so subsequent to initialization the controller compares the threshold with an electrical demand during the washing machine cycle for supply of washing water to the tub of the washing machine for determining when to operate the UV lamp and the disinfecting ion generator. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 27)
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22. A process of treating water for use in a laundry washing machine comprising the steps of:
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(a) connecting a water treatment conduit between a supply of water and a water inlet of a washing machine for laundry;
(b) detecting a washing machine cycle for providing wash water to a tub of the washing machine;
(c) activating a UV lamp and a disinfectior;
(d) injecting oxidation gases into the water in the water treatment conduit from a supply of oxidation gases generated by exposing a coated metal target in atmosphere with UV light;
(e) exposing the oxidated water in a glass conduit portion of the water treatment conduit to UV light to provide treated oxidated water;
(e) injecting disinfect from the disinfector into the treated oxidated water; and
(f) communicating the disinfected treated oxidated water from the water treatment conduit through the water inlet to a tub of the washing machine. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification