Water filter housing

• US 6,048,456 A
• Filed: 06/09/1997
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Palmer Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palmer Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Palmer, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): CINTINS, IVARS C
• Application Number:
  US08/871,298
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 210/189, 210/232, 210/266, 210/282, 210/289, 29/402.18, 156/69, 156/293, 264/DIG. 48
• US Class Current: 210/282
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 24/001 Making filter elements not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 24/04 the filtering material being clamped between pervious fixed walls B01D24/10, B01D24/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 24/12 Downward filtration, the filtering material being supported by pervious surfaces B01D24/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 24/14 Downward filtration, the container having distribution or collection headers or pervious conduits B01D24/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/003 using household-type filters for producing potable water, e.g. pitchers, bottles, faucet mounted devices C02F9/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/42 by ion-exchange ion-exchange in general B01J
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 264/48 Processes of making filters

Abstract

A method of manufacturing and remanufacturing a water treatment device having a media bed includes assembling a housing from a length of open pipe and a pair of end caps. One end cap is secured to each open end of the pipe. At lease two openings are formed at opposite ends of the housing. The housing is charged with media by passing the media through the openings in the housing. A pair of screens are provided in the housing outwardly of the media, and a pair of fittings are provided in the openings outwardly of the screens. The end caps may be permanently secured to the pipe, such as by an adhesive or other known techniques, prior to charging the housing with media. The water treatment device may be charged with media by forming a slurry, made up of the media and a liquid, and passing the slurry through the opening in the pipe. Liquid may then be drawn out of the housing through one of the fittings. At least one of the end caps may include a wall portion which overlaps a portion of the pipe. The opening is formed through overlapping portions of the end cap and pipe.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a water treatment device having a water treatment media bed of the type that can be contaminated by volatile vapors, including:

assembling a housing from a length of open pipe and a pair of end caps, said assembling including securing one said end cap over each open end of said pipe using an adhesive of the type that releases volatile vapors during curing and forming at least two openings at opposite ends of said housing;

curing said adhesive;

after said adhesive is cured, charging said housing with a water treatment media of the type that can be contaminated with volatile vapors by passing said water treatment media through one of said openings wherein said adhesive is cured without substantially contaminating said water treatment media with volatile vapors;

providing a pair of screens in said housing, wherein said screens are outwardly of said water treatment media when said screens and said water treatment media are in said housing; and

providing a pair of fittings outwardly of said screens in said at least two openings.

2. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 1 wherein said adhesive comprises a solvent adhesive that gives off organic volatile vapors during curing.

3. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 1 wherein at least one of said pair of screens is inserted in said housing through at least one of said at least two openings after said step of charging.

4. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 3 further including removing at least one of said pair of screens from the associated one of said openings, charging said housing with fresh water treatment media by passing said fresh water treatment media through said associated one of said openings and reinserting said at least one of said pair of screens in said associated one of said openings.

5. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 1 wherein each of said screens is coupled with one of said fittings.

6. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 5 wherein each of said screens is an elongated tubular wall defining a multiplicity of openings in said wall.

7. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 6 wherein each of said screens includes a plug at an end of said wall.

8. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 7 wherein said end of said wall is positioned adjacent an inner surface of said housing restraining said plug in said wall.

9. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 1 wherein said pair of screens are provided in said housing prior to charging and wherein said forming at least two openings includes forming a third opening between said pair of screens and wherein said step of charging includes passing said water treatment media through said third opening and closing said third opening with a plug.

10. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 9 further including removing said plug from said opening, removing said water treatment media from said housing, charging said housing with fresh water treatment media by passing said fresh water treatment media through said opening in said pipe and reclosing said opening in said pipe with a plug.

11. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 9 including providing a third screen, positioning said third screen in said pipe between said pair of screens, wherein said forming at least two openings includes forming a fourth opening in said pipe between said pair of screens on an opposite side of said third screen from said third opening and wherein said charging includes passing water treatment media through said third opening and said fourth opening and closing said third and fourth openings with plugs.

12. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 9 wherein said screens are made from porous plastic material or fine wire mesh.

13. A method of manufacturing a water treatment device having a water treatment media bed, including:

assembling a housing from a length of open plastic pipe and a pair of plastic end caps, said assembling including securing one said end cap over each open end of said pipe and forming at least two openings at opposite ends of said housing;

charging said housing with water treatment media by passing said water treatment media through one of said openings;

providing a pair of screens in said housing, wherein said screens arc outwardly of said water treatment media when said screens and said water treatment media are in said housing; and

providing a pair of fittings outwardly of said screens in said at least two openings;

wherein at least one of said end caps includes a wall portion which overlaps a portion of said pipe and wherein said forming at least two openings includes forming at least one of said openings through overlapping portions of said at least one of said end caps and said pipe and further wherein said providing a pair of fittings includes supporting at least one of said fittings in said at least one of said openings by both of said overlapping portions, thereby providing sufficient strength to withstand water main pressure level.

14. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 13 wherein at least one of said pair of screens is inserted in said housing through at least one of said at least two openings after said charging.

15. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 14 further including removing at least one of said pair of screens from the associated one of said openings, charging said housing with fresh water treatment media by passing said fresh water treatment media through said associated one of said openings and reinserting said at least one of said pair of screens in said associated one of said openings.

16. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 15 wherein each of said screens is coupled with one of said fittings.

17. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 16 wherein each of said screens is an elongated tubular wall defining a multiplicity of openings in said wall.

18. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 17 wherein each of said screens includes a plug at an end of said wall.

19. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 18 wherein said end of said wall is positioned adjacent an inner surface of said housing restraining said plug in said wall.

20. A water treatment device made according to the method in claim 16.

21. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 13 wherein said pair of screens arc provided in said housing prior to said step of charging and wherein said forming at least two openings includes forming a third opening between said pair of screens and wherein said step of charging includes passing said water treatment media through said third opening and closing said third opening with a plug.

22. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 21 further including removing said plug from said opening, removing said water treatment media from said housing, charging said housing with fresh water treatment media by passing said fresh water treatment media through said opening in said pipe and reclosing said opening in said pipe with a plug.

23. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 21 including providing a third screen, positioning said third screen in said pipe between said pair of screens, wherein said forming at least two openings includes forming a fourth opening in said pipe between said pair of screens on an opposite side of said third screen from said third opening and wherein said charging includes passing water treatment media through said third opening and said fourth opening and closing said third and fourth openings with plugs.

24. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 21 wherein said screens are made from porous plastic material or fine wire mesh.

25. A water treatment device made according to the method in claim 21.

26. A water treatment device made according to the method in claim 13.

27. A method of manufacturing a water treatment device having a water treatment media bed, including:

assembling a housing from a length of open pipe and a pair of end caps, said assembling including securing one said end cap over each open end of said pipe and forming at least one opening at a end of said housing;

charging said housing with water treatment media by passing said water treatment media through said at least one opening; and

after said charging, inserting a screen in said at least one opening and forming a fitting in said at least one opening, said fitting adapted to be connected with a water system.

28. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 27 including forming at least two openings at opposite ends of said housing and inserting a pair of screens in said housing through said at least two openings after said step of charging.

29. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 28 further including removing at least one of said pair of screens from the associated one of said openings, charging said housing with fresh water treatment media by passing said fresh water treatment media through said associated one of said openings and reinserting said at least one of said pair of screens in said associated one of said openings.

30. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 27 wherein said screen is coupled with said fitting.

31. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 27 wherein said water treatment media is selected from the group consisting of a cation exchange resin and a granular activated carbon.

32. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 27 wherein said fitting has an outer surface joining said housing and a threaded inner surface, said threaded inner surface adapted to be connected with a water system.

33. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 32 wherein said fitting outer surface is threaded for threadably joining said housing.

34. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 33 wherein said screen is dimensioned to be positioned against a portion of said housing opposite said at least one opening by said fitting in said at least one opening.

35. A water treatment device made according to the method in claim 34.

36. The method of manufacturing a water treatment device in claim 27 wherein said screen is dimensioned to be positioned against a portion of said housing opposite said at least one opening by said fitting in said at least one opening.

37. A method of remanufacturing a water treatment device having a water treatment media bed, including:

providing a spent water treatment device including a housing and spent water treatment media in said housing, said housing made from a length of open pipe, a pair of end caps, a pair of restraining disks, and a pair of fittings wherein one said end cap and one said restraining disk are secured to each open end of said pipe and one said fitting is penetrating each said end cap outwardly of the associated restraining disk;

forming an opening in said pipe between said restraining disks, said forming being performed with spent water treatment media in said housing;

removing the spent water treatment media from said housing through said opening in said pipe;

charging said housing with fresh water treatment media by passing said fresh water treatment media through said opening in said pipe; and

closing said opening in said pipe with a plug.

38. The method of remanufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 37 wherein said water treatment media is selected from the group consisting of a cation exchange resin and a granular activated carbon.

39. The method of remanufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 37 wherein said housing includes a third restraining disk positioned in said pipe between said pair of restraining disks and said water treatment device includes spent water treatment media on opposite sides of said third restraining disk and wherein said method further includes forming another opening in said pipe between said pair of restraining disks on an opposite side of said third restraining disk from said opening, wherein said removing includes removing spent water treatment media through both said opening and said another opening and wherein said charging includes passing two different types of water treatment media through said opening and said another opening and wherein said closing includes closing both said openings with plugs.

40. The method of remanufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 37 further including removing said plug from said opening, removing spent water treatment media from said housing after said fresh water treatment media has become spent, charging said housing with new fresh water treatment media by passing said new fresh water treatment media through said opening in said pipe, and reclosing said opening in said pipe with a plug.

41. A method of remanufacturing a water treatment device having a water treatment media bed, including:

providing a spent water treatment device including a housing and spent water treatment media in said housing, said housing made from a length of open plastic pipe, a pair of plastic end caps, a pair of restraining disks, and a pair of fittings wherein one said end cap and one said restraining disk are secured to each open end of said pipe and one said fitting is penetrating each said end cap outwardly of the associated restraining disk;

forming an opening in said pipe between said restraining disks;

removing the spent water treatment media from said housing through said opening in said pipe;

charging said housing with fresh water treatment media by passing said fresh water treatment media through said opening in said pipe; and

closing said opening in said pipe with a plug;

wherein at least one of said end caps includes a wall portion which overlaps a portion of said pipe and wherein said forming an opening includes forming said opening through overlapping portions of said at least one of said end caps and said pipe and further wherein said closing said opening in said pipe with a plug includes supporting said plug with said overlapping portions, thereby providing sufficient strength to withstand water main pressure level.

42. The method of remanufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 41 wherein said water treatment media is selected from the group consisting of a cation exchange resin and a granular activated carbon.

43. The method of remanufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 41 wherein said housing includes a third restraining disk positioned in said pipe between said pair of restraining disks and said water treatment device includes spent water treatment media on opposite sides of said third restraining disk and wherein said method further includes forming another opening in said pipe between said pair of restraining disks on an opposite side of said third restraining disk from said opening, wherein said removing includes removing spent water treatment media through both said opening and said another opening and wherein said charging includes passing two different types of water treatment media through said opening and said another opening and wherein said closing includes closing both said openings with plugs.

44. A water treatment device made according to the method in claim 43.

45. The method of remanufacturing a water treatment device according to claim 41 further including removing said plug from said opening, removing spent water treatment media from said housing after said fresh water treatment media has become spent, charging said housing with new fresh water treatment media by passing said new fresh water treatment media through said opening in said pipe, and reclosing said opening in said pipe with a plug.

46. A water treatment device made according to the method in claim 41.