Filter retainer for water purification unit

• US 5,540,848 A
• Filed: 12/13/1994
• Issued: 07/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RCT Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: The Vortex Corporation
• Inventors: Engelhard, Rolf
• Primary Examiner(s): McCarthy, Neil
• Application Number:
  US08/355,069
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 210/748, 210/192, 210/760, 210/764, 210/198.1, 210/205, 210/450, 210/451, 210/453, 422/24, 422/186.3, 250/435, 250/436, 250/437, 250/438, 261/DIG. 42
• US Class Current: 210/748.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/022 Filtration
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/006 Cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3223 Single elongated lamp located on the central axis of a turbular reactor
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/782 Ozone generators
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/784 Diffusers or nozzles for ozonation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2301/024 Turbulent
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2301/026 Spiral, helicoidal, radial
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/185 The treatment agent being halogen or a halogenated compound
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems

Abstract

Water to be purified swirls about a source of ultraviolet radiation to kill any microorganisms contained therein and flows through a carbon filter cartridge mounted about the ultraviolet source to remove any chlorine and particulate matter. The outflow from the carbon filter is again subjected to ultraviolet radiation to kill any microorganisms entrained in the water emanating from the carbon filter. An ozone generator may be incorporated to entrain ozone with the inflowing water to enhance killing of any microorganisms present and to oxidize any undesirable compounds. The cartridge filter has its annular support member at one end disposed adjacent a first annular ridge to establish an annular seal between the support member and the first annular ridge. An axially moveable disk includes a second annular ridge disposed adjacent the annular support member at the other end of the cartridge filter to establish an annular seal therebetween. A spring washer urges the disk toward the cartridge filter and urges the cartridge filter toward the first annular ridge to maintain the respective annular seals despite aging or degradation of the annular support members of the cartridge filter.

Claims

1. In a water purification unit having a source of UV radiation for killing microorganisms present in the water to be purified, a cartridge filter for filtering the water to remove particulate matter from the water to be purified, a compartment for irradiating unfiltered water with UV radiation from the UV source, passageways for channeling the irradiated unfiltered water through the cartridge filter, and a space for irradiating the filtered water with UV radiation from the UV source, the improvement comprising in combination:

(a) a first annular ridge in sealing engagement with one end of the cartridge filter;

(b) a second annular ridge in sealing engagement with the other end of the cartridge filter;

(c) a disk for supporting said second annular ridge; and

(d) a spring washer for urging said disk toward the cartridge filter and the cartridge filter toward said first annular ridge to maintain the sealing engagement between each end of the cartridge filter and the respective ones of said first and second annular ridges, said disk and spring washer encircling the source of UV radiation at a position separating the compartment for irradiating the unfiltered water and the space for irradiating the filtered water.

2. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 including a compartment for swirling the unfiltered water about said UV source to enhance exposure of any water entrained microorganisms to UV irradiation.

3. The improvement as set forth in claim 2 including mounting means for said UV source for penetrably engaging the cartridge filter with the UV source.

4. The improvement as set forth in claim 3 wherein the UV source comprises an elongated lamp and wherein the cartridge filter includes an outer cylindrical surface and an inner cylindrical surface and wherein said inner cylindrical surface is juxtaposed with said lamp to expose said inner cylindrical surface to irradiation from the UV source.

5. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 wherein the UV source comprises an elongated cylindrical lamp and including an UV transmissive tube for surrounding and for protecting the lamp.

6. The improvement as set forth in claim 5 wherein the cartridge filter includes outer and inner cylindrical surfaces and wherein said disk penetrably supports said cartridge filter about said tube.

7. The improvement as set forth in claim 6 wherein said disk channels unfiltered irradiated water to the outer cylindrical surface of the cartridge filter.

8. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 including an ozone generator for generating ozone within said unit and an entrainer for entraining the ozone with the water to be purified to kill microorganisms.

9. The improvement as set forth in claim 8 including an inlet for introducing to said unit water to be filtered and wherein said entrainer comprises a venturi for entraining the ozone with the water introduced through said inlet.

10. The improvement as set forth in claim 9 wherein said ozone generator comprises an air space adjacent said UV source and interior of said tube and wherein said entrainer includes a conduit extending from the air space to said venturi.

11. Apparatus for mounting and sealing the opposed ends of a cartridge filter within a water purification unit which purifies the water by killing microorganisms in both filtered and unfiltered water with radiation from an internally mounted UV lamp and filters entrained matter from UV irradiated water with the cartridge filter, said apparatus comprising in combination:

(a) a first annular ridge disposed proximate one end of the cartridge filter for sealingly engaging a first annular support member at the one end of the cartridge filter;

(b) a moveable disk having a second annular ridge for sealingly engaging a second annular support member at the other end of the cartridge filter; and

(c) a spring washer for urging movement of said disk toward the cartridge filter and for urging movement of the cartridge filter toward said first annular ridge to maintain each of the first and second annular members in sealing engagement with the respective ones of said first and second annular ridges, wherein said moveable disk and said spring washer encircle the internally mounted uv lamp at a position separating a compartment for irradiating the unfiltered water and a space for irradiating the filtered water.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including a support member for supporting said spring washer.

13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said disk includes passageways for accommodating water flow therethrough.

14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein each of said first and second annular ridges includes a knife edge.

15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said spring washer comprises a wave spring washer.

16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said spring washer comprises a finger spring washer.

17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said support member comprises an annular shoulder.

18. The apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said support member comprises a snap ring.

19. A method for mounting and sealing the opposed ends of a cartridge filter within a water purification unit which purifies water by killing microorganisms in both filtered and unfiltered water with radiation from an internally mounted UV lamp and filters entrained matter from UV irradiated water with the cartridge filter, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) sealingly engaging a first annular support member at one end of the cartridge filter with a first annular ridge disposed proximate the one end of the cartridge filter;

(b) sealingly engaging a second annular support member at the other end of the cartridge filter with a moveable disk having a second annular ridge; and

(c) urging movement of the disk toward the cartridge filter and movement of the cartridge filter toward the first annular ridge with a spring washer to maintain each of the first and second annular members in sealing engagement with the respective ones of the first and second annular ridges, wherein the moveable disk and the spring washer encircle the internally mounted uv lamp at a position separating a compartment for irradiating the unfiltered water and a space for irradiating the filtered water.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19 including the step of supporting the spring washer.

21. The method as set forth in claim 20 including the step of accommodating flow of water through the disk.