Electronic bypass system for a fluid treatment system

• US 20090084451A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Culligan International Company
• Original Assignee: Culligan International Company
• Inventors: Connolly, Allan, Quinn, Kerry
• Granted Patent: US 8,356,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/599.150
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/42 by ion-exchange ion-exchange in general B01J
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/04 using a motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87338 Flow passage with bypass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8737 Water treatment feature

Abstract

An electronic bypass system for a water softener having a raw water inlet and a bypass outlet, having a valve assembly associated with the water softener including at least one piston and a controller in communication with the at least one piston. The at least one piston is configured for automatically controlling water flow in a conduit between the raw water inlet and the bypass outlet in response to a signal sent from the controller.

Claims

1. An electronic bypass system for a water softener having a raw water inlet and a bypass outlet, comprising:

a valve assembly associated with the water softener including at least one piston; and

a controller in communication with said at least one piston, said at least one piston configured for automatically controlling water flow in a conduit between the raw water inlet and the bypass outlet in response to a signal sent from said controller.

2. The electronic bypass system of claim 1, further including at least one cam for driving said at least one piston.

3. The electronic bypass system of claim 2, wherein said at least one cam includes at least one peak and at least one valley that contact said at least one piston, wherein said conduit between the raw water inlet and the bypass outlet is automatically opened when said at least one piston contacts said at least one valley, and said conduit is automatically closed when said at least one piston is at said at least one peak.

4. The electronic bypass system of claim 2, further including a motor connected to a motor drive gear being configured to drive said at least one cam.

5. The electronic bypass system of claim 1, wherein said controller includes a remote display.

6. The electronic bypass system of claim 1, wherein said controller includes a wireless remote display.

7. The electronic bypass system of claim 1, wherein said controller includes a timer for setting a time period for controlling a condition of said conduit.

8. An electronic bypass system for a water softener having a raw water inlet and a bypass outlet, comprising:

a valve assembly including a plurality of pistons;

a gearbox including a plurality of cams, each of said cams including at least one peak and at least one valley that contact a corresponding piston of said plurality of pistons;

at least one of said pistons configured for automatically opening said conduit between the raw water inlet and the bypass outlet when said piston is at said at least one valley, and closing said conduit when said piston is at said at least one peak; and

a controller in communication with at least one of said pistons and configured for controlling the automatic opening and closing of said conduit.

9. The electronic bypass system of claim 8, wherein said conduit between the raw water inlet and the bypass outlet is automatically opened when said at least one piston contacts the at least one valley, and said conduit is automatically closed when said at least one piston contacts the peak.

10. The electronic bypass system of claim 8, further including a motor and at least one motor drive gear connected to said motor and configured to drive at least one of said cams.

11. The electronic bypass system of claim 8, further including a position feedback gear positioned adjacent to one of said cams.

12. The electronic bypass system of claim 11, further including a gear sensor in communication with said position feedback gear and configured for sending a signal to said controller.

13. The electronic bypass system of claim 12, wherein said position feedback gear includes a plurality of equally-spaced slots, wherein a designated number of said slots each correspond to a separate cycle of the water softener, and said gear sensor is constructed and arranged for monitoring said slots.

14. The electronic bypass system of claim 8, wherein said controller includes a remote display.

15. The electronic bypass system of claim 14, wherein said remote display is a handheld device.

16. The electronic bypass system of claim 14, further including a timer in communication with said remote display and configured for automatically controlling water flow in said conduit at designated times.

17. The electronic bypass system of claim 8, wherein said controller includes a wireless remote display.

18. The electronic bypass system of claim 8, which includes a timer in communication with said controller and configured for automatically controlling water flow in said conduit at designated times.

19. An electronic bypass system for a water softener having a raw water inlet and a bypass outlet, comprising:

a plurality of pistons;

a plurality of cams, each of said cams contacting a corresponding one of said pistons and including at least one peak and at least one valley;

a position feedback gear matingly engaged with one of said cams and configured to indicate a cycle of the water softener;

a gear sensor positioned adjacent to said position feedback gear and configured to generate a signal based on a position of said position feedback gear;

at least one of said pistons configured for automatically opening a conduit between the raw water inlet and the bypass outlet when said piston is at a valley, and closing said conduit when said piston is at a peak; and

a controller in communication with at least one of said pistons and configured for controlling the automatic opening and closing of said conduit based on said signal generated by said gear sensor.

20. The electronic bypass system of claim 19, wherein said position feedback gear includes a plurality of equally spaced slots separated into different sets, each of said sets representing a different cycle of the water softener.