Home water purification system with automatic disconnecting of radiant energy source

• US 5,536,395 A
• Filed: 03/22/1993
• Issued: 07/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Amway Corporation (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pippel, Bradley J., Kuennen, Roy W., Markham, Ronald C., Kool, Dennis J., Tiede, Merlin G., Kidd, Dennis E., Dykhouse, Robin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Drodge, Joseph W.
• Application Number:
  US08/035,011
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 210/85, 210/87, 210/97, 210/110, 210/136, 210/192, 210/232, 210/282, 210/295, 210/501, 210/503, 210/504, 210/748, 210/143, 210/103, 210/137, 210/259, 422/186.3, 250/432 R, 250/435, 250/436, 250/455.11
• US Class Current: 210/87
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3223 Single elongated lamp located on the central axis of a turbular reactor
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/326 Lamp control systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/328 Having flow diverters (baffles)
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/00 Controlling or monitoring parameters in water treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/445 Filter life
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems

Abstract

A point of use water purification system for home use is provided comprising a carbon block filter housed in a self-contained disposable pressure vessel for removing particulates and organic contaminants from water. The filter is provided with a pore-size distribution, a binder and a flow path which optimizes filtration performance and enhances microbiological kill rates obtained in a source of radiant energy which is used to kill microorganisms in the filtered water. The source of radiant energy comprises an ultraviolet discharge lamp having an elongate central axis and a diverter for providing a spiral plug flow of water about the discharge lamp. A flow regulator adjusts flow through the system for varying line pressure conditions to ensure adequate exposure of microorganisms to ultraviolet energy. A lamp control circuit conserves power and optimizes ultraviolet output. A diagnostic system includes a filter monitor which provides an automatic indication to the user when the filter has reached its end of life. The diagnostic system includes a radiation source monitor which provides an automatic indication to the user when the UV discharge bulb has malfunctioned. A filter quick-disconnect, a radiation source quick-disconnect and associated power safety interlocks protect the user and facilitate the safe and easy replacement of the disposable filter cartridge and ultraviolet discharge bulb.

Claims

1. A point of use water treatment system for home use comprising:

a housing;

a filter, arranged in said housing, for removing contaminants from water;

a source of radiant energy, arranged in said housing, for killing microorganisms in the water;

a filter monitor operable for monitoring the amount of water flowing through said filter and providing an indication when said filter has reached end-of-life;

a radiant energy monitor operable for monitoring the performance of said source of radiant energy and providing an indication when said source has reached end-of-life;

a filter quick-disconnect constructed and arranged for providing a user with the ability to change said filter in response to an indication from said filter monitor;

a source quick-disconnect constructed and arranged for providing a user with the ability to change said source of radiant energy in response to an indication from said radiant energy monitor; and

interlock means constructed and arranged for automatically disconnecting said source of radiant energy from a power supply when a user accesses said housing.

2. The water treatment system of claim 1 wherein said source quick-disconnect comprises a threaded twist-off coupling.

3. The water treatment system of claim 1 further comprising a base, said filter and said source of radiant energy being disposed on said base, said base being particularly adapted for supporting the water treatment system on a household countertop next to a source of water and a sink.

4. The water treatment system of claim 3 wherein said base is provided with a base water inlet and a base water outlet on the bottom thereof.

5. The water treatment system of claim 1 wherein said filter monitor provides a flow signal providing an indication when water flow is present in said filter;

and said source of radiant energy is provided with a power supply circuit that automatically applies electrical power to said source when said flow signal is present and automatically lowers electrical power to said source when said flow signal is not present, thereby conserving electrical energy, preventing heating of the water treatment system and water contained therein, increasing source efficiency and maximizing microbiological kill rates.

6. A point of use water treatment system for home use comprising:

a filter for removing contaminants from water;

a source of radiant energy for killing microorganisms in the water;

a filter monitor operable for monitoring the amount of water flowing through said filter and providing an indication when said filter has reached end-of-life;

a radiant energy monitor operable for monitoring the performance of said source of radiant energy and providing an indication when said source has reached end-of-life;

a filter quick-disconnect constructed and arranged for providing a user with the ability to change said filter in response to an indication from said filter monitor;

a source quick-disconnect constructed and arranged for providing a user with the ability to change said source of radiant energy in response to an indication from said radiant energy monitor;

a base, said filter and said source of radiant energy being disposed on said base;

a shroud covering said base; and

an interlock constructed and arranged for automatically disconnecting said source of radiant energy from a power supply when said shroud is moved from said base to access said filter and said source.

7. The water treatment system of claim 6, wherein said filter is disposed in a polymeric disposable filter pressure vessel;

and said filter quick-disconnect comprising a bayonet coupling.

8. The water treatment system of claim 7 further comprising:

a plurality of radially spaced tangs disposed about the periphery of said filter pressure vessel; and

a plurality of apertures on said base for engaging said tangs with a twisting motion.

9. The water treatment system of claim 8 wherein said base and said filter pressure vessel are provided with an elastomeric sliding water inlet seal and an elastomeric sliding water outlet seal.

10. The water treatment system of claim 9 wherein said filter pressure vessel is provided with a filter water inlet and a filter water outlet and each of said filter water inlet and outlet are provided with an inline check valve which automatically seals contaminants and water in said filter pressure vessel when said filter pressure vessel is removed from said base.

11. The water treatment system of claim 10 wherein said filter further comprises a carbon block having a radial flow path between said water filter inlet and said water filter outlet, said water filter outlet being provided with a fluid connection with a central location in said carbon block and said water filter outlet having a fluid connection with a radially distal location outside of said carbon block.

12. The water treatment system of claim 7 wherein said carbon block is pressed from an activated carbon having a narrow pore size distribution with a substantial number of pores that are 10 microns in diameter and smaller.

13. The water treatment system of claim 12 wherein said activated carbon further comprises a high molecular weight low melt index polymeric binder which minimizes the masking of said activated carbon.

14. The water treatment system of claim 13 further comprising an outer wrap of porous filter media disposed about said carbon block for capturing particulates and preventing particulates from masking said carbon block.

15. The water treatment system of claim 14 wherein said carbon block is provided with a porosity that varies radially, said carbon block being provided with less porosity at a central location and more porosity at radially distal locations for preventing particulates from masking said carbon block.

16. The water treatment system of claim 11 further comprising:

an elongate source pressure vessel disposed on said base;

said source of radiant energy further comprising an elongate ultraviolet discharge bulb disposed in said source pressure vessel.

17. The water treatment system of claim 16 wherein said source pressure vessel is provided with a bottle shape having a threaded neck;

and a twist-off coupling comprising a threaded bottle cap disposed on said bulb and sliding elastomeric seal disposed on said bottle cap.

18. The water treatment system of claim 17 further comprising a means for providing a plug flow about said elongate ultraviolet discharge bulb.

19. The water treatment system of claim 18 wherein said means for providing a plug flow comprises a source pressure vessel inlet for establishing water flow in said source pressure vessel with a substantial tangential component, said source pressure vessel inlet being disposed on one end of said elongate source pressure vessel;

a source pressure vessel outlet disposed on the other end of said source pressure vessel; and

a radial baffle disposed within said source pressure vessel adjacent said source pressure vessel inlet.

20. A point of use water treatment system for home use comprising:

a filter for removing contaminants from water;

a source of radiant energy for killing microorganisms in the water;

a filter monitor operable for monitoring the amount of water flowing through said filter and providing an indication when said filter has reached end-of-life;

a radiant energy monitor operable for monitoring the performance of said source of radiant energy and providing an indication when said source has reached end-of-life;

a filter quick-disconnect constructed and arranged for providing a user with the ability to change said filter in response to an indication from said filter monitor;

a source quick-disconnect constructed and arranged for providing a user with the ability to change said source of radiant energy in response to an indication from said radiant energy monitor;

a diverter valve particularly adapted for mounting on a water outlet of a household water faucet

said diverter valve further comprising a regulator for regulating the flow of water through the water treatment system under variable pressure conditions in an untreated water source and interlock means constructed and arranged for automatically disconnecting said source of radiant energy from a power supply when a user accesses said housing.

21. The water treatment system of claim 20 wherein said regulator comprises an elastomeric grommet disposed in a diverter water outlet disposed on said diverter valve for diverting water to the water treatment system, said grommet having a central opening through which water flows;

said central opening acting as an iris to choke flow as line pressure increases.

22. A point of use water treatment system for home use comprising:

a filter for removing contaminants from water;

a source of radiant energy for killing microorganisms in the water;

a filter monitor operable for monitoring the amount of water flowing through said filter and providing an indication when said filter has reached end-of-life;

a radiant energy monitor operable for monitoring the performance of said source of radiant energy and providing an indication when said source has reached end-of-life;

a filter quick-disconnect constructed and arranged for providing a user with the ability to change said filter in response to an indication from said filter monitor;

a source quick-disconnect for providing a user with the ability to change said source of radiant energy in response to an indication from said radiant energy monitor;

a base, said filter and said source of radiant energy being disposed on said base, said base being particularly adapted for supporting the water treatment system on a household countertop next to a source of water and a sink;

said base being provided with a base water inlet and a base water outlet on the bottom thereof; and

said base water inlet and said base water outlet each being provided with an elbow connector that is rotatably connected to said base to provide for mounting of said water treatment system on one of the left and the right side of a sink.

23. A point of use water treatment system for home use comprising:

a filter for removing contaminants from water;

a source of radiant energy for killing microorganisms in the water;

a filter monitor operable for monitoring the amount of water flowing through said filter and providing an indication when said filter has reached end-of-life;

a radiant energy monitor operable for monitoring the performance of said source of radiant energy and providing an indication when said source has reached end-of-life;

a filter quick-disconnect constructed and arranged for providing a user with the ability to change said filter in response to an indication from said filter monitor;

a source quick-disconnect for providing a user with the ability to change said source of radiant energy in response to an indication from said radiant energy monitor; and

an appliance leakage current interrupter for automatically disconnecting said source of radiant energy from a power supply when electrical leakage is present in the water treatment system.

24. A point of use water treatment system for home use comprising:

a housing;

a pressed carbon block filter, arranged in said housing, for removing particulates and organic contaminants from water, said filter comprising an activated carbon having a pore size distribution that includes a substantial number of micropores and said filter being provided with a radially inward flow path for optimizing filtration performance, providing ample water flow, maximizing water quality and enhancing microbiological kill rates;

a source of radiant ultraviolet energy, arranged in said housing, for receiving filtered water and killing microorganisms in the water, said source comprising an ultraviolet discharge lamp having an elongate central axis and means for providing a plug flow about said discharge lamp for maximizing the exposure of microorganisms to ultraviolet energy and enhancing microbiological kill rates;

a filter monitoring means for monitoring the amount of water flowing through said filter and providing an indication when said filter has reached end-of-life;

a radiant energy monitoring means for monitoring the performance of said source of radiant energy and providing an indication when said source has reached end-of-life;

a filter quick-disconnect means for providing a user with the ability to change said filter in response to an indication from said filter monitoring means;

a source quick-disconnect means for providing a user with the ability to change said source of radiant energy in response to an indication from said radiant energy monitoring means; and

an interlock means constructed and arranged for automatically disconnecting said source of radiant energy from a power supply when a user accesses said housing.

25. A point of use water treatment system for home use comprising:

a housing;

a pressed carbon block filter, arranged in said housing, for removing particulates and organic contaminants from water, said filter comprising an activated carbon having a pore size distribution that includes a substantial number of micropores and said filter being provided with a radially inward flow path for optimizing filtration performance, providing ample water flow, maximizing water quality and enhancing microbiological kill rates;

a source of radiant ultraviolet energy, arranged in said housing, for receiving filtered water and killing microorganisms in the water, said source comprising an ultraviolet discharge lamp having an elongate central axis and means for providing a plug flow about said discharge lamp for maximizing the exposure of microorganisms to ultraviolet energy and enhancing microbiological kill rates;

a flow control means for regulating the flow of water through the water treatment system under varying pressure conditions in an untreated water source thus ensuring adequate exposure time of microorganisms to ultraviolet energy and enhancing microbiological kill rates;

a filter monitoring means for monitoring the amount of water flowing through said filter and providing an indication when said filter has reached end-of-life;

a radiant energy monitoring means for monitoring the performance of said source of radiant energy and providing an indication when said source has reached end-of-life;

a filter quick-disconnect means for providing a user with the ability to change said filter in response to an indication from said filter monitoring means;

a source quick-disconnect means for providing a user with the ability to change said source of radiant energy in response to an indication from said radiant energy monitoring means; and

an interlock means constructed and arranged for automatically disconnecting said source of radiant energy from a power supply when a user accesses said housing.

26. A point of use water treatment system for home use comprising:

a housing;

a pressed carbon block filter, arranged in said housing, for removing particulates and organic contaminants from water, said filter comprising an activated carbon having a pore size distribution that includes a substantial number of micropores and said filter being provided with a radially inward flow path for optimizing filtration performance, providing ample water flow, maximizing water quality and enhancing microbiological kill rates;

a source of radiant ultraviolet energy, arranged in said housing, for receiving filtered water and killing microorganisms in the water, said source comprising an ultraviolet discharge lamp having an elongate central axis and means for providing a plug flow about said discharge lamp for maximizing the exposure of microorganisms to ultraviolet energy and enhancing microbiological kill rates;

a flow regulator for regulating the flow of water through the water treatment system under varying pressure conditions in an untreated water source thus ensuring adequate exposure time of microorganisms to ultraviolet energy and enhancing microbiological kill rates;

a filter monitor operable for monitoring the amount of water flowing through said filter and providing an indication when said filter has reached end-of-life;

a radiant energy monitor operable for monitoring the performance of said source of radiant energy and providing an indication when said source has reached end-of-life;

a filter quick-disconnect constructed and arranged for providing a user with the ability to change said filter in response to an indication from said filter monitor;

a source quick-disconnect constructed and arranged for providing a user with the ability to change said source of radiant energy in response to an indication from said radiant energy monitor; and

interlock means constructed and arranged for automatically disconnecting said source of radiant energy from a power supply when a user accesses said housing.