Retrofittable control unit for a softening apparatus
First Claim
1. Control unit for a softening device, wherein the control unit comprises:
- a primary inlet for untreated water;
a primary outlet for blended water;
a sensor for determining the water hardness of the untreated water WHraw or the blended water WHblend;
a secondary outlet which is supplied with untreated water from the primary inlet;
a secondary inlet which is supplied to the primary outlet;
a bypass line connecting the primary inlet and primary outlet and which is guided parallel to the secondary outlet and the secondary inlet, wherein the bypass line is configured to supply the untreated water from the primary inlet to the primary outlet and wherein the bypass line is disposed internal to a control unit;
a blender which can be automatically adjusted for mixing a blended water flow V(t)blend from a first partial flow V(t)part1soft of the secondary inlet and a second partial flow V(t)part2raw of the bypass line;
an electronic control means configured to readjust the adjustment position of the blender according to the determined water hardness WHraw or WHblend in such a fashion that the water hardness in the blended water flow V(t)blend is adjusted to a predetermined desired value;
wherein the control unit is designed in the form of an external control unit for the softening device, wherein the control unit has a control unit housing, the outer side of which is provided with the primary inlet, the primary outlet, the secondary outlet and the secondary inlet, and wherein the control unit housing completely contains the sensor, the entirety of the bypass line, the blender and the electronic control means, and wherein the blended water flow V(t)blend is configured to be blended from the first partial flow V(t)part1soft and the second partial flow V(t)part2raw within the control unit housing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control unit for a softening device, comprising a primary inlet for untreated water, a primary outlet for blended water, a sensor for determining the water hardness of the untreated water WHraw, or the blended water WHblend, a secondary outlet, a secondary inlet, a bypass line, a blending means which can be automatically adjusted for mixing a blended water flow Vblend(t) from a first partial flow (V(t)part1soft of the secondary inlet and a second partial flow V(t)part2raw of the bypass line, and an electronic control means, wherein the control means is designed to readjust the adjustment position of the blending means by means of the determined water hardness in such a fashion that the water hardness in the blended water flow Vblend(t) is adjusted to a predetermined desired value, enables partial softening of water on the basis of fully automatic blending, thereby utilizing already existing softening devices.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. Control unit for a softening device, wherein the control unit comprises:
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a primary inlet for untreated water; a primary outlet for blended water; a sensor for determining the water hardness of the untreated water WHraw or the blended water WHblend; a secondary outlet which is supplied with untreated water from the primary inlet; a secondary inlet which is supplied to the primary outlet; a bypass line connecting the primary inlet and primary outlet and which is guided parallel to the secondary outlet and the secondary inlet, wherein the bypass line is configured to supply the untreated water from the primary inlet to the primary outlet and wherein the bypass line is disposed internal to a control unit; a blender which can be automatically adjusted for mixing a blended water flow V(t)blend from a first partial flow V(t)part1soft of the secondary inlet and a second partial flow V(t)part2raw of the bypass line; an electronic control means configured to readjust the adjustment position of the blender according to the determined water hardness WHraw or WHblend in such a fashion that the water hardness in the blended water flow V(t)blend is adjusted to a predetermined desired value; wherein the control unit is designed in the form of an external control unit for the softening device, wherein the control unit has a control unit housing, the outer side of which is provided with the primary inlet, the primary outlet, the secondary outlet and the secondary inlet, and wherein the control unit housing completely contains the sensor, the entirety of the bypass line, the blender and the electronic control means, and wherein the blended water flow V(t)blend is configured to be blended from the first partial flow V(t)part1soft and the second partial flow V(t)part2raw within the control unit housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A control unit for creating a blended water flow by mixing a softened water flow from a connectable pre-existing water softener with a raw water flow, wherein the control unit comprises:
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a control unit housing; a primary inlet connected to the control unit housing configured to receive the raw water flow; a primary outlet connected to the control unit housing configured to dispense the blended water flow; a sensor disposed inside the control unit housing configured for determining a water hardness of the raw water flow or the blended water flow; a secondary outlet connected to the control unit housing configured to dispense a first portion of the raw water flow to the connectable pre-existing water softener; a secondary inlet connected to the control unit housing configured to receive a softened water flow from the connectable pre-existing water softener; a bypass line disposed entirely inside the control unit housing and connected between the primary inlet and primary outlet, the bypass line configured to dispense a second portion of the raw water flow from the primary inlet to the primary outlet; a blender disposed inside the control unit housing configured to adjust the softened water flow with the raw water flow to then create the blended water flow; and an electronic control disposed inside the control unit housing configured to receive the water hardness from the sensor and control the blender to dispense the blended water flow at a predetermined water hardness desired value.
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Specification