Water purification and sterilization system
First Claim
1. In combination with a pressurized water system, a water purifier comprising:
- a filter canister comprising a filter inlet, and containing a replaceable filter element, in which water under pressure can be received, through said filter inlet, filtered through said filter element and expelled;
an ultraviolet irradiation chamber for receiving water expelled from said canister;
conduit means for fluidly connecting said filter canister and ultraviolet irradiation chamber, said received water being exposed to a level of ultraviolet radiation sufficient to kill essentially all living organisms within said water prior to said water being expelled from said chamber;
said ultraviolet irradiation chamber of a generally annular shape, consisting of;
an outer cylindrical wall;
an inner cylindrical wall concentric to said outer cylindrical wall, said inner wall being transparent to ultraviolet radiation;
a tubular source of ultraviolet radiation mounted concentrically with respect to said outer and inner cylindrical walls;
water inlet near one end of said annular chamber;
a water outlet near the other end of said annular chamber; and
means for sealing the ends of said annular chamber consisting of;
a circular end cap concentrically and sealingly bonded at each end of said outer cylindrical wall, each end cap having a hole in its center, and each end cap being mounted orthogonally with respect to the cylindrical axes of said inner and outer cylindrical walls;
an exteriorly-threaded mounting nipple having an interior diameter equal to the hole in the center of each end cap, each nipple sealingly bonded to its respective end cap and projecting longitudinally outward from its respective chamber end, said inner cylindrical wall being slideably installed through both nipples such that the ends of said inner wall extend outwardly from said nipples;
an O-ring installed circumferentially around the gap between said inner cylindrical wall and said mounting nipple at each end of said chamber; and
a nut installed on each nipple, which, when tightened, compress their respective O-rings, forcing said O-rings deeper into said repective gaps, creating a water-tight seal at each end of the chamber between the outer surface of said inner cylindrical wall and the interior cylindrical surface of the respective nipple; and
means for stopping the flow of water through said water outlet line when ultraviolet radiation is not present in said irradiation chamber, said means for stopping comprising a normally-closed solenoid-actuated valve interposed within said water outlet line, a single-pole relay having a coil connected in series with the tubular source, said solenoid-actuated valve receiving current for opening said water outlet line when current is flowing through said tubular source.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for filtering and sterilizing potable water for household use which may be connected in the water line at a faucet or ahead of the automatic ice-making mechanism of a refrigerator. The water is purified in two stages: The first stage uses an activated carbon filter to remove solid particles, dissolved gases and colloidal particles from the water; the second state uses intensive ultraviolet radiation provided by a mercury vapor lamp to kill essentially all bacteria, viruses and any other organisms which are not trapped by the activated carbon filter. The lamp is mounted concentrically within a cylindrical tube having a water inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, so that the water is sterilized as it passes through the annular chamber defined by the lamp and the outer wall of the cylindrical tube. A solenoid-activated shut-off valve cuts off the water flow from the device whenever a control circuit detects a failure of the lamp or a loss of line power. The filtering and sterilization process does not remove essential minerals from the water, an advantage of this device over distillation-based systems.
109 Citations
2 Claims
-
1. In combination with a pressurized water system, a water purifier comprising:
-
a filter canister comprising a filter inlet, and containing a replaceable filter element, in which water under pressure can be received, through said filter inlet, filtered through said filter element and expelled; an ultraviolet irradiation chamber for receiving water expelled from said canister; conduit means for fluidly connecting said filter canister and ultraviolet irradiation chamber, said received water being exposed to a level of ultraviolet radiation sufficient to kill essentially all living organisms within said water prior to said water being expelled from said chamber; said ultraviolet irradiation chamber of a generally annular shape, consisting of; an outer cylindrical wall; an inner cylindrical wall concentric to said outer cylindrical wall, said inner wall being transparent to ultraviolet radiation; a tubular source of ultraviolet radiation mounted concentrically with respect to said outer and inner cylindrical walls; water inlet near one end of said annular chamber; a water outlet near the other end of said annular chamber; and means for sealing the ends of said annular chamber consisting of; a circular end cap concentrically and sealingly bonded at each end of said outer cylindrical wall, each end cap having a hole in its center, and each end cap being mounted orthogonally with respect to the cylindrical axes of said inner and outer cylindrical walls; an exteriorly-threaded mounting nipple having an interior diameter equal to the hole in the center of each end cap, each nipple sealingly bonded to its respective end cap and projecting longitudinally outward from its respective chamber end, said inner cylindrical wall being slideably installed through both nipples such that the ends of said inner wall extend outwardly from said nipples; an O-ring installed circumferentially around the gap between said inner cylindrical wall and said mounting nipple at each end of said chamber; and
a nut installed on each nipple, which, when tightened, compress their respective O-rings, forcing said O-rings deeper into said repective gaps, creating a water-tight seal at each end of the chamber between the outer surface of said inner cylindrical wall and the interior cylindrical surface of the respective nipple; andmeans for stopping the flow of water through said water outlet line when ultraviolet radiation is not present in said irradiation chamber, said means for stopping comprising a normally-closed solenoid-actuated valve interposed within said water outlet line, a single-pole relay having a coil connected in series with the tubular source, said solenoid-actuated valve receiving current for opening said water outlet line when current is flowing through said tubular source. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
Specification