Water treatment device with volumetric monitoring features

• US 6,149,801 A
• Filed: 01/15/1998
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Instapure Brands, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Giordano, Edward C., Graves, Thomas W., Vander Berg, Mark, Jennings, James M., Gibbs, Douglas R., Storer, William James A., Lonsinger, Douglas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Drodge, Joseph W.
• Application Number:
  US09/007,495
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 73/861.78, 73/861.79, 73/861.87, 210/87, 210/88, 210/89, 210/100, 210/143, 210/282, 210/739, 210/107, 210/108, 210/138, 210/85, 210/449, 210/460, 137/551, 137/801
• US Class Current: 210/87
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 17/0208 by sedimentation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0003 Making of sedimentation devices, structural details thereof, e.g. prefabricated parts
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0024 Inlets or outlets provided with regulating devices, e.g. valves, flaps B01D21/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/2405 Feed mechanisms for settling tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/34 Controlling the feed distribution; Controlling the liquid level ; Control of process parameters
• 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 2209/006 comprising a software program or a logic diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/075 with magnetic or electromagnetic coupling to the indicating device

Abstract

A totalization meter system for a water treatment device, the device having an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture, and a channel for channeling water between the inlet and outlet apertures. A flow reactive device for measuring the volume of flow is positioned in the channel and is exposed to the flowing water, and a signal generating member is positioned on the flow reactive device. A switch is positioned proximately to the flow reactive device, and is sensitive to the proximity of the signal generating member. The switch is able to communicate electric signals indicative of the motion of the signal generating member. A resettable processor having a performance threshold programmed therein and an output device is included. The microcontroller is in electrical communication with the switch for receiving electrical signals from the switch. The switch is capable of sensing the flow volume sensed by the flow reactive device and communicates electrical signals representative of the characteristics to the microcontroller. The microcontroller interprets the signals as a first performance data. The microcontroller compares the first performance data against the respective performance threshold in the microcontroller to determine if the performance threshold has been surpassed, and if surpassed actuates the output device.

Claims

1. An end-of-faucet filter for filtering water flowing through a faucet, said end-of-faucet filter comprising:

a housing having an inlet aperture for attachment to the faucet, an outlet aperture, a channel extending between said inlet and outlet apertures, and a filter positioned in said channel to filter water flowing therethrough;

a flow reactive device positioned in the channel and exposed to the flowing water;

a signal generating member positioned on the flow reactive device;

a sensor positioned proximate to the flow reactive device, and being sensitive to the movement of the signal generating member, the sensor generating a flow signal corresponding to water flow in the channel;

an output device for indicating when the filter is useable; and

a controller, including a threshold, receiving the flow signal and comparing the flow signal to the threshold, the controller activating the output device when the flow signal exceeds the threshold.

2. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 1, wherein said controller further comprises:

a second threshold included in the controller; and

a timer determining an amount of time corresponding to when the controller was reset, the controller activating the output device when the amount of time exceeds the second threshold.

3. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 1, wherein said threshold corresponds to a total number of gallons passed through said channel.

4. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 1, wherein the flow reactive device is a turbine rotatable about an axis and having a plurality of blades.

5. A meter as defined in claim 4, wherein said sensor is unexposed to the flowing water.

6. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 1, wherein the signal generating member is a magnet.

7. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the flow reactive device is a turbine rotatable about an axis, and having a plurality of blades equally spaced about the turbine, each blade having a distal end; and

a magnetic member positioned in the distal end of one of the blades, and at least one blade opposite the blade containing the turbine is enlarged.

8. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a reed switch.

9. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a hall-effect sensor.

10. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 1, wherein said turbine is oriented in said channel such that the water flowing through said channel tangentially-impacts said turbine.

11. An end-of-faucet filter for filtering water flowing through a faucet, said end-of-faucet filter comprising:

a housing having an inlet aperture for attachment to the faucet, an outlet aperture, a channel extending between said inlet and outlet apertures, and a filter positioned in said channel to filter water flowing therethrough;

a flow reactive device positioned in the channel and exposed to the flowing water;

a signal generating member positioned on the flow reactive device;

a sensor positioned proximate to the flow reactive device, and being sensitive to the movement of the signal generating member, the sensor able to communicate electric signals indicative of the motion of the signal generating member;

a resettable microcontroller having an output device, and a first and second performance threshold programmed therein, the microcontroller in electrical communication with the switch for receiving electrical signals from the switch, wherein said switch senses the characteristics of the flow reactive device and communicates electrical signals representative of the characteristics to the microcontroller, the microcontroller interpreting the signals as a first performance data, the microcontroller also having a time counter for totaling the time lapse since the microcontroller was last reset, the microcontroller interpreting the time lapse as a second performance data, the microcontroller comparing the first performance data against the first performance threshold and the second performance data against the second performance threshold to determine if the respective performance threshold has been surpassed, and when surpassed actuating the output device.

12. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 11, wherein the flow reactive device is a turbine rotatable about an axis and having a plurality of blades.

13. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 11, wherein the signal generating member is a magnet.

14. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 11, wherein:

the flow reactive device is a turbine rotatable about an axis, and having a plurality of blades equally spaced about the turbine, each blade having a distal end; and

a magnetic member positioned in the distal end of a first one of the blades, and a counterweight positioned in the distal end of a second one of said blades directly opposite said first one of said blades to counterbalance the turbine.

15. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 11, wherein the sensor is a reed switch.

16. A meter system as defined in claim 11, wherein the sensor is a hall-effect sensor.

17. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 11, wherein said turbine is oriented in said channel such that the water flowing through said channel tangentially-impacts said turbine.

18. An end-of-faucet filter for filtering water flowing through a faucet, said end-of-faucet filter comprising:

a housing having an inlet aperture for attachment to the faucet, an outlet aperture, a channel extending between said inlet and outlet apertures, and a filter positioned in said channel to filter water flowing therethrough;

a turbine rotatable about an axis, and having a plurality of blades, each blade having a distal end, the turbine being in the channel and exposed to the flowing water;

a magnetic member positioned in the distal end of one of the blades;

a sensor positioned proximately to said turbine, and being sensitive to the movement of the magnetic member, the sensor able to communicate electric signals indicative of the motion of the magnetic member;

a microcontroller in electrical communication with the sensor for receiving electrical signals from the sensor, the microcontroller interpreting the signals as performance data, the microcontroller having an output device, wherein said sensor senses the rotation of the turbine and communicates electrical signals representative of the rotation to the microcontroller, the microcontroller interpreting the representative electrical signals and actuating the output device.

19. An end-of-faucet filter for filtering water flowing through a faucet, said end-of-faucet filter comprising:

a housing having an inlet aperture for attachment to the faucet, an outlet aperture, a channel extending between said inlet and outlet apertures, and a filter positioned in said channel to filter water flowing therethrough;

a turbine rotatably positioned in the channel and exposed to the flowing water;

a signal generating member positioned on the turbine;

a sensor positioned proximately to the flow reactive device, and being sensitive to the motion of the signal generating member, the sensor generating a flow signal corresponding to water flow in the channel;

a controller, having a plurality of thresholds programmed therein, receiving the flow signal and comparing the flow signal to each of the plurality of thresholds;

an output device in communication with said controller and capable of providing a plurality of output signals; and

said controller actuating said output device to provide the appropriate output signal determined by the achieved threshold.

20. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 19, wherein:

said plurality of thresholds includes a threshold for acceptable use, cautious use, and termination of use conditions;

said plurality of output signals includes a signal for acceptable use, a signal for cautious use, and a signal for termination of use; and

said controller actuates the signal corresponding to the achieved threshold.

21. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 20, wherein:

said plurality of said thresholds includes corresponding time based and total-flow based thresholds.

22. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 20, wherein:

said controller has a flush condition and a delay condition programmed therein.

23. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 20, wherein:

the filter has a set total useful life;

said acceptable use threshold is less than or equal to approximately 90% of total useful life;

said cautious use threshold is greater than 90% and less than 100% of total useful life; and

said termination of use threshold is 100% of total useful life.

24. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 20, wherein:

the filter has a set total useful life of approximately 90 days;

said acceptable use threshold is approximately less than or equal to 81 days,

said cautious use threshold is greater than approximately 81 days and less than 90 days; and

said termination of use threshold is greater than or equal to 90 days.

25. An end-of-faucet filter as defined in claim 19, wherein said turbine is oriented in said channel such that the water flowing through said channel tangentially-impacts said turbine.