WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM WITH MOISTURE DETECTOR

• US 20090120851A1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miles, Michael E., Schwannecke, Joshua K., Stoner, William T. JR., Throop, Clinton H., Vecziedins, Karlis
• Granted Patent: US 7,883,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/87
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3223 Single elongated lamp located on the central axis of a turbular reactor
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/326 Lamp control systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/42 Liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems

Abstract

A water treatment system including a UV bulb, a moisture detector, and a control circuit responsive to the moisture detector to terminate power to the bulb when moisture is detected. The moisture detector includes a nonconductive substrate and a pair of conductors on the substrate. When moisture is not present, the detector is nonconductive. However, when moisture accumulates on the detector, the moisture provides a conductive path between the conductors so that the detector becomes conductive. When moisture is detected, the control circuit terminates power to the bulb and/or provides an appropriate indication to the system user.

Claims

1. A water treatment system comprising:

a light source chamber;

a light source within the chamber;

a moisture-detecting device within the chamber, the device having a first state when a preselected level of moisture is not detected, the device having a second state when the preselected level of moisture is detected; and

a control circuit operatively connected to the light source and to the moisture-detecting device, the control circuit enabling the light source to receive power when the device is in the first state, the control circuit preventing the light source from receiving power when the device is in the second state.

2. A water treatment system as defined in claim 1 wherein the light source is an ultraviolet (UV) light source.

3. A water treatment system as defined in claim 1 wherein the light source chamber includes a transparent portion.

4. A water treatment system as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for indicating that the control circuit is preventing the light source from receiving power.

5. A light source assembly comprising:

a chamber wall defining a light chamber;

a light source within the chamber;

power means for powering the light source;

control means for controlling the power means, the control means including a moisture detector within the light chamber.

6. A light source assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein the light source is an ultraviolet (UV) light source.

7. A light source assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein the chamber wall includes a transparent portion.

8. A light source assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein the control means is responsive to the moisture detector to provide a visible indication when the moisture detector detects moisture within the light chamber.

9. A water treatment system comprising:

a water chamber through which water flows;

a light chamber normally water-free;

detector means within the light chamber for detecting the presence of water by providing a low impedance electrical path in the presence of water; and

a control circuit responsive to the detector means.

10. The water treatment system of claim 9 wherein the light chamber is defined at least in part by a quartz sleeve.

11. The water treatment system of claim 9 further comprising an ultraviolet (UV) lamp within the light chamber.

12. The water treatment system of claim 11 wherein the control circuit prevents the UV lamp from receiving power when the detector means detects the presence of water.

13. The water treatment system of claim 12 wherein the control circuit includes an optical sensor responsive to light emitted by the UV lamp.

14. The water treatment system of claim 9 wherein the system is a point-of-use water treatment system.

15. The water treatment system of claim 9 wherein the detector means comprises a nonconductive substrate and first and second electrically conductive pathways on the substrate.

16. A lighting assembly comprising:

a chamber;

a light source within the chamber;

a water detector within the chamber; and

a control circuit connected to the light source and to the water detector, the control circuit controlling the light source in response to the water detector.

17. The lighting assembly of claim 16 further comprising an optical sensor having an output indicative of the state of operation of the light source.