Liquid purifying device

• US 4,940,542 A
• Filed: 10/27/1989
• Issued: 07/10/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Rayon Company Limited (Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation), Tomei Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Rayon Company Limited (Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation), Tomei Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sakai, Shin, Yamamoto, Osamu, Matsumoto, Satoru, Tanaka, Hisao, Simizu, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sever, Frank
• Application Number:
  US07/428,004
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: 239/337-341, 239/344, 239/347, 239/348, 239/354, 239/372, 239/373, 128/200.14, 128/220.21, 128/200.22, 128/200.23, 210/500.23, 210/500.78, 210/500.79, 210/500.8, 210/500.87, 210/500.88, 210/500.89, 210/321.6, 210/321.78, 210/321.8, 210/321.79 , 210/321.87, 210/321.88, 210/321.89
• US Class Current: 210/321.8
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/30 Dip tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0822 a discharge device being fixed to the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/32 Dip-tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/48 Lift valves, e.g. operated by push action B65D83/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/02 for transferring liquids other than fuel or lubricants

Abstract

A device for dispensing a liquid, including a container having an interior space accommodating the liquid, a first valve attached to the container, a delivery path having one end submerged in the liquid and extending through the container such that the other end is outside the container, and a second valve disposed in the delivery path for closing and opening the delivery path. The first valve permits a pressurized gas to flow therethrough into the container to raise the pressure within the container, but inhibits a discharge flow of the pressurized gas and the liquid therethrough out of the interior space. The liquid is delivered out of the container through the delivery path, due to the raised pressure within the interior space. The device has a micro-porous membrane filter disposed in a portion of the delivery path which is located upstream of the second valve, as viewed in the direction of delivery of the liquid. The micro-porous membrane filter removes microorganisms from the liquid delivered from the delivery path.

Claims

1. A liquid purifying device for dispensing a liquid, comprising:

a container having an enclosed interior space in which a mass of said liquid is stored;

first valve means, attached to said container, for permitting a supply flow of a pressurized gas therethrough into said interior space of the container to raise a pressure within said interior space, and for inhibiting a discharge flow of said pressurized gas and said liquid therethrough out of said interior space;

a liquid delivery path having one end submerged in said mass of the liquid and extending through said container such that the other end is disposed outside said interior space, said liquid being delivered out of said interior space through said liquid delivery path, due to the pressure within said interior space which is raised by said pressurized fluid;

second valve means, disposed in said liquid delivery path, for selectively closing and opening the liquid delivery path to prevent contamination by microorganisms of liquid which has been purified but not yet delivered; and

means for filtering said liquid to remove microorganisms from the liquid delivered through said other end of said liquid delivery path consisting essentially of a micro-porous membrane disposed in a portion of said liquid delivery path which is upstream of said second valve means, as viewed in a direction in which said liquid is delivered out of said interior space, said micro-porous membrane filtering said liquid to remove microorganisms from the liquid delivered through said other end of said liquid delivery path.

2. A liquid purifying device according to claim 1, further comprising pressurized-gas supply means for supplying one of a compressed gas and a liquefied gas, as said pressurized gas, into said interior space of the container through said first valve means.

3. A liquid purifying device according to claim 2, wherein said pressurized-gas supply means is located outside said container.

4. A liquid purifying device according to claim 2, wherein said container has means for defining said interior space, and means for defining a space for accommodating said pressurized-gas supply means.

5. A liquid purifying device according to claim 2, further comprising an air filter disposed in a passage between said pressurized-gas supply means and said interior space of the container, for filtering said pressurized gas to remove microorganisms from said pressurized gas which is supplied into said interior space.

6. A liquid purifying device according to claim 1, wherein said second valve means includes a valve stem, a valve seat and biasing means for normally holding said valve stem in a closed position, said valve stem having a passage which constitutes a part of said liquid delivery path, said passage being closed by said valve seat when said valve stem is placed in said closed position, said valve stem being axially movable against a biasing action of said biasing means, from said closed position to an open position in which said passage is open to permit said liquid to be delivered through said liquid delivery path.

7. A liquid purifying device according to claim 1, wherein said pressurized gas consists essentially of ambient air.

8. A liquid purifying device according to claim 1, wherein said micro-porous membrane comprises an array of micro-porous hollow fibers, each of which has a micro-porous wall structure having a pore size determined so as to permit passage of said liquid therethrough but inhibit passage of the microorganisms therethrough.

9. A liquid purifying device according to claim 8, wherein said micro-porous hollow fibers are made of polyolefin.

10. A liquid purifying device according to claim 8, wherein said liquid delivery path includes a chamber in which said array of micro-porous hollow fibers is accommodated, said chamber having a header secured thereto so as to divide said chamber into two parts, said array of micro-porous hollow fibers being U-shaped such that the U-shaped micro-porous hollow fibers are held at opposite end portions thereof by said header such that the remaining portions of said micro-porous hollow fibers are disposed in one of said two parts which is nearer to said one end of said liquid delivery path.

11. A liquid purifying device according to claim 1, wherein said container has a bottleneck having an opening, and a shoulder portion near said bottleneck, said first valve means being attached to a shoulder portion of said container.

12. A liquid purifying device according to claim 1, further comprising a cap, and wherein said container has a bottleneck having an opening closed by said cap, said liquid delivery path extending through said cap.

13. A liquid purifying device according to claim 12, wherein said first valve means is attached to said cap.

14. A liquid purifying device according to claim 1, wherein said container has a bottom wall to which said first valve means is attached.

15. A device for dispensing a liquid used for contact lenses, comprising:

a container having an enclosed interior space in which a mass of said liquid is stored;

pressurized-gas supply means for supplying a pressurized gas, into said interior space of the container;

first valve means, attached to said container, for permitting a supply flow of said pressurized gas therethrough into said interior space of the container to raise a pressure within said interior space, and for inhibiting a discharge flow of said pressurized gas and said liquid therethrough out of said interior space;

a liquid delivery path having one end submerged in said mass of the liquid and extending through said container such that the other end is disposed outside said interior space, said liquid being delivered out of said interior space through said liquid delivery path, due to the pressure within said interior space which is raised by said pressurized fluid;

second valve means, disposed in said liquid delivery path, for selectively closing and opening the liquid delivery path to prevent contamination by microorganisms of liquid which has been purified but not yet delivered; and

means for filtering said liquid to remove microorganisms from the liquid delivered through said other end of said liquid delivery path consisting essentially of an array of micro-porous hollow fibers disposed in a portion of said liquid delivery path which is upstream of said second valve means as viewed in a direction in which said liquid is delivered out of said interior space, said array of micro-porous hollow fibers filtering said liquid to remove micro-organisms from the liquid delivered through said other end of said liquid delivery path.

16. A device for dispensing a liquid used for contact lenses according to claim 15, wherein said micro-porous hollow fibers have pore diameters which are small enough to remove the microorganisms including bacteria and/or virus, from the liquid.