WATER TREATMENT DEVICES AND CARTRIDGES THEREFOR

• US 20090008321A1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
• Original Assignee: Pur Water Purification Products, Inc. (Helen of Troy Limited)
• Inventors: Emmons, David James, Tanner, John D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,215,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/440
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/291 End caps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/34 Seals or gaskets for filtering elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/96 in which the filtering elements are moved between filtering operations; Particular measures for removing or replacing the filtering elements; Transport systems for filters B01D29/09, B01D29/70 take precedence
• 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 2201/003 Coaxial constructions, e.g. a cartridge located coaxially within another
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/006 Cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/06 Mounted on or being part of a faucet, shower handle or showerhead

Abstract

A cartridge for treating water, the cartridge capable of releasably engaging a water treatment device. The cartridge includes a housing, an inlet for introducing untreated water into the cartridge, an outlet port for egress of treated water from the cartridge, and a treatment media for treating untreated water. The treatment media is in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet port. The cartridge further includes a first tube having an inside surface, an outside surface, a proximal end, and a distal end, where the inside surface and/or the outside surface is a sealing surface. The cartridge further includes a second tube having an inside surface, an outside surface, a proximal end, and a distal end, where the inside surface and/or the outside surface is a sealing surface. The first tube extends from the housing and surrounds the outlet port. At least a portion of $he first tube or the second tube surrounds the other such that a gap is formed between the first tube and the second tube. The gap is capable of holding a volume of water. The first tube extends outwardly from the housing and surrounds the outlet port, and the second tube extends outwardly from the housing and surrounds the first tube such that a gap is formed between the first and second tubes, the gap capable of holding from about 0.1 ml to about 6 ml of water when the cartridge is not sealingly engaged to the water treatment device, and such that the distal end of the second tube extends a greater distance than the distal end of the first tube from the housing, and such that at least one of the sealing surfaces of the second tube extends a greater distance than at least of one of the sealing surfaces of the first tube from the housing.

Claims

1. A water treatment cartridge for treating water, said water treatment cartridge capable of sealingly and releasably engaging a water treatment device, said water treatment cartridge comprising:

(a) a housing, an inlet for introducing water into said water treatment cartridge, an outlet port disposed through said housing for egress of treated water from said water treatment cartridge, and a treatment media for treating water, said treatment media being in fluid communication with said inlet and said outlet port;

(b) a first tube comprising an inside surface, an outside surface, a proximal end, and a distal end, wherein at least one of said inside surface and said outside surface is a sealing surface; and

(c) a second tube comprising an inside surface, an outside surface, a proximal end, and a distal end, wherein at least one of said inside surface and said outside surface is a sealing surface;

wherein at least a portion of said first tube or said second tube surrounds the other such that a gap is formed between said first tube and said second tube; and

wherein said first tube extends from said housing and surrounds said outlet port such that said inside surface of said first tube is in fluid communication with said outlet port to form an uninterrupted extension of said outlet port.

2. The water treatment of claim 1, wherein said inside surface of said first tube forms a treated water outlet passageway that said treated water flows through as it exits said water treatment cartridge.

3. The water treatment of claim 1, wherein at least one said sealing surface of said second tube and at least one said sealing surface of said first tube are coplanar.

4. The water treatment cartridge of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said inside surface of said first tube and at least a portion of said inside surface of said second tube are sealing surfaces.

5. The water treatment cartridge of claim 1, wherein said distal end of said first tube extends from said water treatment cartridge housing a greater distance than said distal end of said second tube.

6. The water treatment cartridge of claim 1, wherein said distal ends of said first and second tubes extend from the housing the same distance.

7. The water treatment cartridge of claim 1, wherein said first and second tubes are without o-rings.

8. The water treatment cartridge of claim 1, wherein the diameter of said inside surface of said second tube is from about 1 cm to about 5 cm, and wherein the diameter of said outside surface of said first tube is from about 0.5 cm to about 3 cm.

9. The water treatment cartridge of claim 1, wherein a portion of said outside surface of said second tube is a cam surface.

10. A water treatment cartridge for treating water, said water treatment cartridge capable of sealing and releasably engaging a water treatment device, said water treatment cartridge comprising:

(a) a housing, an inlet for introducing water into said water treatment cartridge, an outlet port for egress of treated water from said water treatment cartridge, and a treatment media for treating water, said treatment media being in fluid communication with said inlet and outlet port;

(b) a first tube comprising an inside surface, an outside surface, a proximal end, and a distal end, wherein at least one of said inside surface and said outside surface is a sealing surface; and

(c) a second tube comprising an inside surface, an outside surface, a proximal end, and a distal end, wherein at least one of said inside surface and said outside surface is a sealing surface;

wherein said first tube extends outwardly from said housing and surrounds said outlet port such that said inside surface of said first tube is in fluid communication with said outlet port to form an uninterrupted extension of said outlet port;

wherein said second tube surrounds at least a portion of said first tube;

wherein said water treatment cartridge is configured such that a gap is formed between said inlet and said outlet port and completely enclosed when said water treatment cartridge is sealingly engaged to a water treatment device.

11. The water treatment cartridge of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of said inside surface of said first tube and at least a portion of said inside surface of said second tube are sealing surfaces.

12. The water treatment cartridge of claim 10, wherein the most distal said sealing surface of said first tube extends from said water treatment cartridge housing a greater distance than the most distal said sealing surface of said second tube.

13. A water treatment cartridge of claim 10, wherein said sealing surfaces of said first and said second tubes extend from the water treatment cartridge housing about the same distance.

14. The water treatment cartridge of claim 10, wherein said first and second tubes are without o-rings.

15. The water treatment cartridge of claim 10, wherein the diameter of said inside surface of said second tube is from about 1 cm to about 5 cm, and wherein the diameter of said outside surface of said first tube is from about 0.5 cm to about 3 cm.

16. The water treatment cartridge of claim 10, wherein said treatment media comprises a radial flow carbon block.

17. A water treatment device for sealingly and releasably engaging a water treatment cartridge, said water treatment device comprising:

(a) an annular outlet housing for connecting in fluid communication to a treated water outlet passageway of a filter cartridge, said outlet housing comprising a proximal end, a distal end, an inside surface, an outside surface, and at least one sealing surface disposed on at least one of said inside or outside surfaces;

(b) a second annular housing separate and distinct from and surrounding said outlet housing, said second housing comprising a proximal end, distal end, an inside surface, an outside surface, and at least one sealing surface disposed on at least one of inside or outside surfaces; and

(c) an inlet housing for introducing water into a water treatment cartridge when said water treatment device is sealingly engaged to the water treatment cartridge;

wherein a gap is formed in the area between said outside surface of said outlet housing and said inside surface of said second annular housing;

wherein said inside surface of said outlet housing is in fluid communication with treated water exiting a water treatment cartridge.

18. The water treatment device of claim 17, wherein said second annular housing is a vent housing, and said inside surface of said second annular housing defines an air vent.

19. A water treatment system comprising:

(1) a water treatment cartridge comprising;

(a) a housing, a cartridge inlet for receiving into said water treatment cartridge, an outlet port disposed through said housing for egress of treated water from said water treatment cartridge, and a treatment media for treating water, said treatment media being in fluid communication with said cartridge inlet and said outlet port,

(b) a first tube comprising an inside surface, an outside surface, a proximal end, and a distal end, wherein at least one of said inside surface and said outside surface is a sealing surface, and

(c) a second tube comprising an inside surface, an outside surface, a proximal end, and a distal end, wherein at least one of said inside surface and said outside surface is a sealing surface;

wherein said first tube extends from said housing and surrounds said outlet port such that said inside surface of said first tube is in fluid communication with said outlet port to form an uninterrupted extension of said outlet port;

wherein at least a portion of said second tube surrounds said first tube; and

(2) a water treatment device comprising;

(a) an annular outlet housing releasably connected in fluid communication to said first tube, said outlet housing comprising a proximal end, a distal end, an inside surface, an outside surface, and at least one sealing surface disposed on at least one of said inside or outside surfaces,

(b) a second annular housing separate and distinct from and surrounding said outlet housing, said second annular housing comprising a proximal end, distal end, an inside surface, an outside surface, and at least one sealing surface disposed on at least one of inside or outside surfaces, said at least one sealing surface of said second annular housing in sealing engagement with said sealing surface of said second tube, and

(c) a device inlet housing in fluid communication with said cartridge inlet for introducing water into said water treatment cartridge when said water treatment device is sealingly engaged to the water treatment cartridge;

wherein a gap is formed in between said outside surfaces of said first tube and annular outlet housing and said inside surface of said second tube and second annular housing;

wherein said inside surface of said outlet housing is in fluid communication with said inside surface of said first tube such that treated water exits said outlet port and enters into said outlet housing.

20. The water treatment system of claim 19, wherein said at least one sealing surface of said annular outlet housing is at least one o-ring oriented around said outside surface of said annular outlet housing, and said at least one sealing surface of said second annular housing is at least one o-ring oriented around said outside surface of said second annular housing.