UV water purification spigot

• US 8,137,538 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2010
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dan Matthews, Florence Cassassuce
• Original Assignee: Dan Matthews, Florence Cassassuce
• Inventors: Cassassuce, Florence, Matthews, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): CECIL, TERRY K
• Application Number:
  US12/717,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20110215037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 210/748, 210/764, 210/192, 210/109, 210/110, 210/97, 210/95, 210460-463, 210/449, 422/24, 422/186.3, 250/432.R, 250/435, 250/436
• US Class Current: 210/95
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/14 Safety devices specially adapted for filtration preventing or minimising fires or explosions A62C; Devices for indicating clogging incorporated in a throw-away filter B01D27/10
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/157 Flow control valves: Damping or calibrated passages
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/004 Seals, connections
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3223 Single elongated lamp located on the central axis of a turbular reactor
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3227 Units with two or more lamps
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3228 Units having reflectors, e.g. coatings, baffles, plates, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/326 Lamp control systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/06 Mounted on or being part of a faucet, shower handle or showerhead

Abstract

A compact point of use water purifier intended for both urban and rural areas of developing countries. The purifier is a spigot with an integrated UV radiation source 18 adjacent to an outlet orifice 19 to selectively on demand expose untreated water when the spigot valve 15 is activated to dispense water for consumption. The valve includes a user-activated handle 154 and is configured such that upon initial movement of the handle the ultraviolet radiation source is activated and upon continued movement of the handle the valve is opened. The water purifier is connectable to an electric power source, either 110V/220V AC or 12VDC, via a transformer unit to deliver the appropriate voltage to the spigot unit.

Claims

1. A point of use water purification spigot connectable to a water source having an ultraviolet radiation source to supply purified water having in combination:

a. an ultraviolet (UV) radiation source;

b. a flow control valve connected to the ultraviolet radiation source with a self-delayed valve opening mechanism to turn on the radiation source prior to permitting water to flow therethrough, the valve including a user-activated handle and configured such that upon initial movement of the handle the ultraviolet radiation source is activated and upon continued movement of the handle the valve is opened;

c. a disinfection chamber connected to the flow control valve to receive water where the ultraviolet radiation source illuminates and disinfects the water;

d. an outlet orifice adjacent the disinfection chamber, the UV radiation source being mounted vertically therein; and

e. an energy source to provide energy for starting and running the UV radiation source.

2. The water purification spigot according to claim 1 further comprising the radiation source being a filament type mercury vapor lamp.

3. The water purification spigot according to claim 2 further comprising the energy source being a transformer ballast unit to regulate energy to the UV radiation source.

4. The water purification spigot according to claim 1 further comprising the flow control valve having a vertically movable plunger in selective sealing relationship with the disinfection chamber between a water source and an outlet orifice, the plunger having a delayed seal engagement mechanism for holding water until the radiation source is illuminated and the sealing relationship is broken.

5. The water purification spigot according to claim 1 further comprising a viewing window in the disinfection chamber to permit viewing the illumination of the UV radiation source in a turned on state.