Portable Drinking Water Purification Device

• US 20100102002A1
• Filed: 10/15/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miracle Straw Corporation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Miracle Straw Corporation Incorporated
• Inventors: O'Brien, Paul W., Engel, Mogens
• Granted Patent: US 8,318,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/668
• 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 1/002 using small portable filters for producing potable water, e.g. personal travel or emergency equipment, survival kits, combat gear C02F1/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/44 by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis general membrane separation processes B01D61/00, membrane modules B01D63/00, electrodialysis C02F1/4693, combination of membrane modules and bioreactors C02F3/1268
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/68 by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water medicinal water A61K
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/76 with halogens or compounds of halogens C02F1/4674 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/208 Off-grid powered water treatment

Abstract

A portable water disinfecting and purification apparatus comprising a first chamber into which water to be purified may be drawn by suction or negative pressure, a second chamber into which the water from the first chamber can be forced by a pumping action or positive pressure, whereby the water is initially passed across a pre-filter secured over the inlet to the first chamber and having a very small pore size and an inner cavity in which a disinfecting agent is place to filters most contaminants before the water is drawn into said filtering device, and once in the first holding chamber the water is isolated and may be further treated with a disinfectant agent, and then is passed though at least additional filtering substance including an activated carbon or nano-filter.

Claims

1. A portable water purification apparatus comprising:

(a) a first chamber into which water to be purified may be drawn negative pressure, whereby water in said first chamber is isolated and is treated with a disinfecting agent,

(b) a second chamber slidable within said first chamber into which the water from the first chamber can be forced by a positive pressure,

(c) a pre-filter connected over the inlet to said first chamber; and

(d) a disinfecting agent provided in an internal chamber in said pre-filter.

2. A portable water purification apparatus in accordance with claim 1 additionally comprising a covering device which is securable over said pre-filter when the device is not in use, said covering device also serving as a container for receiving liquid passed through said device.

3. A portable purification apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the pre-filter is comprised of a porous polyethylene material and additionally includes a nano silver particle layer applied to the outer surface of the filter.

4. A portable purification apparatus in accordance with claim 1 additionally comprising a mouthpiece secured over the outlet to the second chamber for use in directing water forced through the micro-filter into the mouth of the operator of the apparatus or into a storage container, said mouthpiece additionally being dipped in a nano silver solution thereby rendering it bacterial static on all surfaces.

5. A portable purification apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the second chamber is slideable within the first chamber to provide both an initial negative pressure at the entrance to the first chamber for drawing water into the first chamber as the second chamber is withdrawn partially from the first chamber and to provide positive pressure in the second chamber as such first chamber is forced into said second chamber.

6. A portable water purification apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which appropriate check valves are provided at the entrance to the first and second chambers to allow passage of water in only one direction from the exterior into the first chamber and the first chamber into the second chamber, but not in the reverse direction.

7. A portable purification apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the chambers are in the form of close fitting tubular elements with the second chamber in sliding engagement with the first chamber.

8. A portable purification apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein the walls of the tubular elements are transparent or translucent to allow the operator to monitor the internal operation.

9. A portable water purification apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein there is a flexible gasket means between the walls of the tubular elements to seal against leakage of water.

10. A portable water purification apparatus in accordance with claim 8 additionally comprising a threaded connection between said second chamber and mouth piece, wherein the pre-filter is detachable from over the inlet to the first chamber and is securable to the outer end of the mouthpiece, whereby water can be pumped through the mouth piece and pre-filter in a reverse direction to remove debris from said filter that is clogging the filter so that it can be reused.

11. A portable water purification apparatus in accordance with claim 1 additionally comprising a disinfecting agent provided within a section of the second chamber.

12. A portable water purification apparatus in accordance with claim 1 additionally comprising a separable containment area in the second chamber in which micronutrients or other desirable additives may be combined with the resulting potable water.

13. A portable water purification apparatus in accordance with claim 1 additionally comprising a counter arrangement provided on the mouth piece for tracking the number of uses of said device and as an aid to determining when at least one disinfectant agent or purifying substance used with the device should be replaced with a new supply of said agent or substance.

14. A portable water purification apparatus in accordance with claim 2 additionally comprising a storage compartment in the lower end of the pre-filter covering device.

15. A method of purifying water comprising the steps of:

(a) passing a potentially contaminated water supply across a polyethylene pre-filter,

(b) mixing and treating the water passed across said pre-filter with a disinfecting agent,

(c) passing the water containing said disinfecting agent through an activated carbon filter;

(d) passing the water upon exiting said activated carbon filter through a nano-filter.

16. A method of purifying water in accordance with claim 15 in which said polyethylene pre-filter has a pore size of seventy microns or less.

17. A method of purifying water in accordance with claim 15 in which said disinfecting agent is chlorine at concentrations of between 25-55 ppm for the appropriate disinfecting time period.

18. A method of purifying water in accordance with claim 15 in which said nano-filter is a nanoalumina filter.

19. A method of purifying water in accordance with claim 18 in which the purified water post filtration contains non-detectable levels of said disinfecting agent.

20. A method of purifying water in accordance with claim 15 in which said filters and disinfecting agents are provided sequentially in a piston type filer device.