Field Water Purification System Filter

• US 20150014247A1
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cal Poly Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cal Poly Corporation
• Inventors: Compas-Markman, Patricia M., Lundquist, Trygve J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,738,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/639
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/16 Water-bottles; Mess-tins; Cups
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/08 for draining liquids from vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/03 self-supporting
• 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 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• 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 1/52 by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/463 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/5281 Installations for water purification using chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/72 by oxidation C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/008 Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/11 Turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/00 Location of water treatment or water treatment device
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/02 as part of a bottle

Abstract

A field water purification system filter is described. The filter includes a water tight enclosure formed between two layers of a polymeric material, an inlet and an outlet are coupled to the water tight enclosure. A filter envelope including a quantity of filter media is inside the water tight enclosure. The water filter having a minimal thickness when not filled with water. The filter envelope is formed by a first set of bonded segments of the two layers of polymeric material. The filter can also include an outer channel having a first side formed by the water tight enclosure and a second side opposite from the first side. The second side can include a second set of bonded segments of the two layers of polymeric material interspersed with a set of nonbonded segments, the nonbonded segments defining openings in an intermittent barrier between the outer channel and the filter media.

Claims

1. A flat water filter including:

a water tight enclosure formed between two layers of a polymeric material;

a filter inlet fluidly coupled to the water tight enclosure;

a filter outlet fluidly coupled to the water tight enclosure;

a filter envelope including a quantity of filter media, the filter envelope being disposed within the water tight enclosure, the flat water filter having a minimal thickness when not filled with water, the filter envelope being formed by a first plurality bonded segments of the two layers of polymeric material; and

an outer channel having a first side formed by the water tight enclosure and a second side opposite from the first side, the second side including a second plurality of bonded segments of the two layers of polymeric material interspersed with a plurality of nonbonded segments of the two layers of polymeric material, the nonbonded segments defining a plurality of openings in an intermittent barrier between the outer channel and the filter media.

2. The flat water filter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second plurality bonded segments include thermally welded segments.

3. The flat water filter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second plurality bonded segments include mechanically compressed segments.

4. The flat water filter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second plurality bonded segments include glued segments.

5. The flat water filter of claim 1, wherein the two layers of polymeric material are included in a folded first single sheet of polymeric material and wherein the fold in the first single sheet of polymeric material includes the bond between the first edges of the two layers of polymeric material.

6. The flat water filter of claim 1, further comprising a detachable inlet coupling.

7. The flat water filter of claim 1, further comprising a spacer disposed within the filter envelope and defining an inner filter volume within the filter envelope.

8. The flat water filter of claim 1, further comprising an ultraviolet water treatment device.

9. The flat water filter of claim 1, wherein the filter media includes at least one of a woven fiber, and/or a non-woven fiber, and/or a foam, and/or a ceramic membrane and/or a packed filter media.

10. A method for treating water comprising:

collecting a quantity of water in a container;

adding a water treatment agent to the quantity of water in the container;

closing the container;

agitating the quantity of water in the container for a selected time;

supporting the container in a substantially vertical orientation;

allowing a plurality of flocs to settle a bottom portion of the container for a selected time period;

dispensing treated water from an outlet port of the container, the outlet port being disposed a first distance away from the bottom portion of the container;

coupling a detachably coupled filter to an outlet of the container, wherein the detachably coupled filter includes a flat water filter having a minimal first thickness when not filled with water and a second thickness greater than the first thickness when filled with water; and

filtering the dispensed water through the detachably coupled filter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein collecting the quantity of water in the container includes covering a selected portion of an outlet tube on an outlet port of the container from the collected water.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the flat water filter includes:

a water tight enclosure formed between two layers of a polymeric material;

a filter inlet;

a filter outlet;

a filter envelope including a quantity of filter media, the filter envelope being disposed within the water tight enclosure, the filter envelope being formed by a first plurality bonded segments of the two layers of polymeric material.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first and second plurality bonded segments include thermally welded segments.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first and second plurality bonded segments include mechanically compressed segments.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first and second plurality bonded segments include glued segments.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the two layers of polymeric material are included in a folded first single sheet of polymeric material and wherein the fold in the first single sheet of polymeric material includes the bond between the first edges of the two layers of polymeric material.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising a detachable inlet coupling on the filter inlet.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising a spacer disposed within the filter envelope and defining an inner filter volume within the filter envelope.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising an ultraviolet water treatment device.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the filter media includes at least one of a woven fiber, and/or a non-woven fiber, and/or a foam, and/or a ceramic membrane and/or a packed filter media.