Water treatment apparatus

• US 6,514,406 B1
• Filed: 10/24/2000
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James E. Katehis
• Original Assignee: James E. Katehis
• Inventors: Katehis, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reifsnyder, David A.
• Application Number:
  US09/695,648
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 210/175, 210/222, 210/182, 210/223, 210/243, 210/252, 210/259, 210/294, 210/295, 210/497.01, 204/275.1, 204/660, 204/664, 204/665, 204/666, 204/DIG.5, 202/182, 202/185.3
• US Class Current: 210/175
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/04 by distillation or evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4606 for producing oligodynamic substances to disinfect the water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/481 using permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/42 Liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 204/05 Magnetic plus electrolytic

Abstract

A water treatment apparatus comprises a first housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber defined therebetween wherein the inlet is connected to an upstream water pipe. A series of magnets are arranged for attachment about the upstream water pipe for directing a magnetic field onto water flowing downstream into the first housing chamber. First and second electrodes of a copper and silver alloy are positioned in the first housing chamber for releasing copper and silver ions into the water therein to reduce bacteria levels of the water. A heating coil is disposed in the first housing for boiling the water in the first housing chamber. The apparatus includes a second housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber defined therebetween. A conduit connects the outlet of the first housing with the inlet of the second housing for supplying water vapor from the first housing chamber to the second housing chamber. A funnel and a fan are positioned in the second housing chamber for condensing the water vapor into distilled water. The distilled water is funneled into a helical filter for producing filtered distilled water. The filtered water is supplied to a third housing for storage, the storage reservoir being connected to an outlet fluid pipe for supplying the filtered water to a faucet.

Claims

1. A water treatment apparatus, comprising:

a first housing comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet, said inlet adapted for connection to an upstream pipe whereby to present a flow of water through said inlet and into said first housing chamber;

an electrode assembly in communication with said first housing comprising;

first and second electrodes of a copper and silver alloy extending into said first housing chamber;

means for releasing copper and silver ions from said electrodes into said first housing chamber and the water therein to reduce bacteria levels of the water therein;

a heating element disposed in said first housing for boiling the water in said first housing chamber;

a second housing comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet of said second housing;

a conduit connecting said outlet of said first housing with said inlet of said second housing for supplying water vapor from said first housing chamber to said second housing chamber;

means positioned in said second housing chamber for condensing said water vapor to form distilled water;

an electric fan mounted in said second housing chamber and adapted to deliver cooling air to said condensing means;

a filter assembly disposed in said second housing chamber and coupled to said condensing means for receiving said distilled water whereby to output filtered distilled water; and

means for supplying said filtered distilled water from said filter assembly to a downstream pipe.

2. A water treatment apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said condensing means includes a funnel having an open top that spans said second housing chamber and an open bottom adapted to supply said distilled water to said filter.

3. A water treatment apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first housing includes a second chamber adjacent said first housing chamber and partitioned therefrom, said heating element positioned in said second chamber of said first housing and separated from contact with the water in said first housing chamber.

4. A water treatment apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said filter assembly comprises:

a tube having a helical channel, said helical channel including an inward-facing open side communicating with a central through-hole of said tube, said central through-hole being surrounded by turns of said helical channel; and

a porous mesh-like filter disposed within said central through-hole.

5. A water treatment apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising:

a third housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet of said third housing; and

wherein said means for supplying said filtered water from said filter assembly to the downstream pipe includes a second conduit connecting a lower end of said filter assembly with said inlet of said third housing for supplying said filtered water from said second housing chamber to said third housing chamber.

6. A water treatment apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising:

a sensor positioned in said third housing chamber for sensing a water level therein;

a valve coupled to said upstream pipe adjacent said inlet of said first housing, said valve being in communication with said sensor for opening fluid communication between said upstream pipe and said first housing chamber when said sensed water level is less than a predetermined water level.

7. A water treatment apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor positioned in said first housing chamber for sensing a water level therein;

a valve coupled to said upstream pipe adjacent said inlet of said first housing, said valve being in communication with said sensor for opening fluid communication between said upstream pipe and said first housing chamber when said sensed water level is less than a predetermined water level.

8. A water treatment apparatus, comprising:

a first housing comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet, said inlet adapted for connection to an upstream pipe whereby to present a flow of water through said inlet and into said first housing chamber;

magnetic means adapted to be positioned on said upstream fluid pipe for directing a magnetic field onto water flowing downstream toward said first housing inlet and into said first housing chamber whereby to magnetically treat said water;

an electrode assembly in communication with said housing comprising;

first and second electrodes of a copper and silver alloy extending into said first housing chamber;

means for releasing copper and silver ions from said electrodes into said first housing chamber and the water therein to reduce bacteria levels of the water in said first housing chamber;

a heating coil disposed in said first housing for boiling the water in said first housing chamber;

a second housing comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber between said inlet and outlet of said second housing;

a conduit connecting said outlet of said first housing with said inlet of said second housing for supplying water vapor from said first housing chamber to said second housing chamber;

means positioned in said second housing chamber for condensing said water vapor to form distilled water;

an electric fan mounted in said second housing chamber and adapted to deliver cooling air to said condensing means;

a filter assembly disposed in said second housing chamber and coupled to said condensing means for receiving said distilled water whereby to output filtered distilled water; and

means for supplying said filtered distilled water from said filter assembly to a downstream pipe.

9. A water treatment apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said condensing means includes a funnel having an open top that spans said second housing chamber and an open bottom adapted to supply said distilled water to said filter.

10. A water treatment apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said filter assembly comprises:

a tube having a helical channel, said helical channel including an inward-facing open side communicating with a central through-hole of said tube, said central through-hole being surrounded by turns of said helical channel; and

a porous mesh-like filter disposed within said central through-hole.

11. A water treatment apparatus as in claim 8 further comprising:

a sensor positioned in said first housing chamber for sensing a water level therein;

a valve coupled to said upstream pipe adjacent said inlet of said first housing, said valve being in communication with said sensor for opening fluid communication between said upstream pipe and said first housing chamber when said sensed water level is less than a predetermined water level.