Portable water purifier

• US 4,019,986 A
• Filed: 06/11/1973
• Issued: 04/26/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles A. Beaman, William Allen Burris
• Original Assignee: Charles A. Beaman, William Allen Burris
• Inventors: Burris, William Alan, Beaman, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spear, Jr., Frank A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spitzer, Robert H.
• Application Number:
  US05/368,702
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 21/74 A, 21/102 R, 210/62, 210/63, 210/138, 210/139, 210/192, 210/205, 210/218, 210/220, 210/221, 210/255, 210/257, 210/285, 250/532, 250/536, 250/539, 250/540
• US Class Current: 210/139
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence

Abstract

A portable water purifier includes a portable ozone generator and water container and a flexible tube conducting ozone from the generator to the container. A filter-bubbler is used to bubble ozone into water in the container and then to filter the purified water as it is drawn from the container with the flexible tube serving as a siphon. A vent for the container contains an ozone decomposition catalyst for decomposing any ozone in the vented gas.

Claims

1. A portable water purifier comprising:

a. a portable ozone generator;

b. a portable water container independently positionable relative to said generator;

c. a flexible tube leading from said generator to said container to conduct ozone to said container;

d. a manually disconnectable connection joining said flexible tube to said generator;

e. a filter connected to the end of said flexible tube opposite said disconnectable connection;

f. means for connecting said filter to said portable water container;

g. said portable water container being orientable for disposing said filter in a lower region of said portable water container so said filter serves as a bubbler for bubbling said ozone into said lower region of the water in said container;

h. vent means for venting gas from said portable water container;

i. said vent means having an ozone decomposition catalyst arranged so said gas vented through vent means passes through said catalyst to decompose any ozone in said vented gas;

j. said flexible tube serving as a water output line from said portable water container after ozone treatment of said water;

k. said flexible tube being arranged as a siphon for providing a pressure head for drawing said purified water from said container; and

l. said filter serving as a filter for water withdrawn from said portable water container under pressure of said siphon.

2. The purifier of claim 1 wherein said connecting means for said filter is a closure cap for said container.

3. The purifier of claim 2 wherein said closure cap is removable for filling said container, and said container is arranged with said closure cap at a lower region of the side of said container for said bubbling of ozone into said water.

4. The purifier of claim 1 wherein said filter is removable for filling said container, and said container is arranged with said filter at a lower region of the side of said container for said bubbling of ozone into said water.

5. The purifier of claim 1 wherein said vent means comprises a flexible tube leading from said container to said generator.

6. The purifier of claim 5 wherein said generator has a tube connected to said vent tube and filled with said ozone decomposition catalyst.

7. The purifier of claim 5 wherein said flexible tube for said ozone and said flexible tube for said vent each have regions higher than the water level in said container when connected to said generator.

8. The purifier of claim 1 wherein said generator includes a corona discharge element, a transformer for supply high voltage to said element, and a pump for forcing air through said element.

9. The purifier of claim 8 including an ozone decomposition catalyst arranged in the input and output lines for said pump.

10. The purifier of claim 8 including a single fuse in the power supply to said generator to disable said pump and said corona discharge element upon overload of said power supply.

11. The purifier of claim 10 including an adjustable electric timer for preselecting time intervals of operation of said generator, and wherein said fuse is arranged to disable said timer.

12. The purifier of claim 10 including an ozone decomposition catalyst arranged in the input and output lines for said pump.

13. The purifier of claim 8 wherein said vent means comprises a flexible tube leading from said container to said generator, and said generator has a tube connected to said vent tube and filled with said ozone decomposition catalyst.

14. The purifier of claim 13 including an ozone decomposition catalyst arranged in the input and output lines for said pump and including an adjustable timer for preselecting time intervals of operation of said generator.