KR-102961029-B1 - water treatment system

Abstract

The water treatment system has a base assembly and a treatment assembly. The treatment assembly of the system may be configured to filter particulates from water. The base assembly may include an operable UV reactor to disinfect water for consumption.

Inventors

• 라우트젠하이져 테리 엘
• 슈메이트 제프리 에이
• 마일스 마이클 이
• 카르나제스 듀간 엠
• 킹 케빈 지
• 핍펠 브래들리 제이
• 슈랭크 다니엘 엘
• 로빈스 테드문드 에이
• 슈엔켈 로저 에이

Assignees

• 액세스 비지니스 그룹 인터내셔날 엘엘씨

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20200424

Priority Date

20190426

Claims (20)

1. A filter assembly operable to filter particulate matter in a water treatment system, wherein the water treatment system comprises a base assembly capable of supporting the treatment assembly, and the filter assembly comprises: A filtration medium operable to remove fine particles from water flowing through a filtration medium, wherein the filtration medium comprises an upper end and a lower end, an outer surface formed between the upper end and the lower end, and the filtration medium comprises internal pores; A lower end cap positioned on the lower end of the filter medium; An upper end cap disposed on the upper end of a filtration medium, wherein the upper end cap comprises a filter assembly outlet having at least one fluid opening in fluid communication with an internal void; A central axis defined between the upper and lower ends of the filter medium; A wireless communication device disposed on an upper end cap, comprising a wireless communication device configured to communicate with a base wireless communication device of a base assembly without a physical electrical connection with a base wireless communication device; and A filter assembly that can be positioned within a treatment assembly to filter particulates from water flowing through a treatment assembly, and the filter assembly can be positioned within the treatment assembly in any orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the treatment assembly, and regardless of the orientation of the filter assembly within the treatment assembly, a wireless communicator is arranged to communicate with a base wireless communicator.
2. delete
3. A filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein when a filter assembly is present within a processing assembly, the central axis of the filter assembly is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the processing assembly, and the wireless communication device is close to or aligned with the central axis of the filter assembly, thereby maintaining the wireless communication device close to or aligned with the longitudinal axis of the processing assembly regardless of the angular orientation of the filter assembly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the processing assembly.
4. A filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the central axis of the filter assembly is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the processing assembly at an installed position within the processing assembly.
5. A filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the filter assembly outlet includes an internal cavity, and the wireless communicator is disposed within the internal cavity of the filter assembly outlet.
6. A filter assembly according to claim 1, comprising an operable handle to facilitate removal of the filter assembly from a processing assembly, wherein the handle is operable between a storage position and an operable position.
7. A filter assembly according to claim 6, wherein the handle comprises first and second external support members that are respectively fitted into first and second support holders of an upper end cap, and the handle comprises first and second internal support members that are captured and held by first and second keepers of the filter assembly outlet.
8. In paragraph 7, the handle is a filter assembly that is rotatable and traps with respect to the first and second keepers and the first and second support holders.
9. A method for assembling a filter assembly, wherein the method is: A step of providing a filtration medium for removing fine particles flowing through a filtration medium, wherein the filtration medium comprises an upper end and a lower end, an outer surface formed between the upper end and the lower end, and the filtration medium comprises an internal void and a central axis defined between the upper end and the lower end; A step of attaching a lower end cap to the lower end of the filter medium; A step of providing an upper end cap having an opening for fluid flow; A step of coupling a wireless communication device to an upper end cap at an operable position, wherein the wireless communication device is operable to communicate wirelessly with a base wireless communication device of a base assembly separated from a filter assembly without physical electrical connection with the base wireless communication device, the filter assembly can be positioned within the processing assembly in any orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the processing assembly, and the wireless communication device is positioned to communicate with the base wireless communication device regardless of the orientation of the filter assembly within the processing assembly; and A method comprising the step of attaching the upper end cap to the upper end of the filter medium.
10. In claim 9, the step of coupling a wireless communication device to an upper end cap comprises the step of attaching a wireless communication device to a filter assembly outlet and the step of attaching a filter assembly outlet to an upper end cap.
11. A method according to claim 10, comprising the step of placing a wireless communication device in the internal cavity of the filter assembly outlet, and the step of attaching the filter assembly outlet to the upper end cap, comprising the step of positioning the wireless communication device close to or aligned with the central axis.
12. In Paragraph 10, A step of positioning the first and second external support portions of the handle within the first and second support holders of the upper end cap; and A method comprising the step of capturing the first and second internal support portions of a handle in response to attaching the filter assembly outlet to the upper end cap, with the first and second keepers of the filter assembly outlet.
13. A filter set operable to filter particulates in a water treatment system, wherein the water treatment system comprises a base assembly capable of supporting a treatment assembly, and the filter set comprises: As a filter assembly, A filtration medium operable to remove fine particles from water flowing through a filtration medium, wherein the filtration medium comprises an upper end and a lower end, an outer surface formed between the upper end and the lower end, and the filtration medium comprises internal pores; A lower end cap positioned on the lower end of the filter medium; An upper end cap disposed on the upper end of a filtration medium, wherein the upper end cap comprises a filter assembly outlet having at least one fluid opening in fluid communication with an internal void; A central axis defined between the upper and lower ends of the filter medium; A wireless communication device disposed on an upper end cap, comprising a wireless communication device configured to communicate with a base wireless communication device of a base assembly without a physical electrical connection with a base wireless communication device; A filter assembly that can be positioned within a treatment assembly to filter particulates from water flowing through a treatment assembly, and the filter assembly can be positioned within the treatment assembly in any orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the treatment assembly, and regardless of the orientation of the filter assembly within the treatment assembly, a wireless communicator is positioned to communicate with a base wireless communicator, a filter assembly; and As a pre-filter assembly, A pre-filter medium having a pre-filter opening, wherein the pre-filter medium comprises an upper end and a lower end; and A filter set comprising a pre-filter assembly, the pre-filter assembly comprising an upper retainer and a lower retainer, each disposed on an upper end and a lower end of a pre-filter medium, wherein the upper retainer and the lower retainer each comprise an upper wiping seal and a lower wiping seal, and the upper wiping seal and the lower wiping seal are operable to seal the upper end cap and the lower end cap of the filter assembly, respectively.
14. delete
15. A filter set in paragraph 13, wherein, when a filter assembly is present within a processing assembly, the central axis of the filter assembly is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the processing assembly, and the wireless communicator is close to or aligned with the central axis of the filter assembly, thereby maintaining the wireless communicator close to or aligned with the longitudinal axis of the processing assembly regardless of the angular orientation of the filter assembly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the processing assembly.
16. In paragraph 13, a filter set in which the central axis of the filter assembly is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the processing assembly at an installed position within the processing assembly.
17. In paragraph 13, the filter assembly outlet includes an internal cavity, and the wireless communicator is disposed within the internal cavity of the filter assembly outlet, forming a filter set.
18. In paragraph 13, a filter set comprising an operable handle to facilitate the removal of a filter assembly from a processing assembly, wherein the handle is operable between a storage position and an operable position.
19. A filter set according to claim 18, wherein the handle comprises first and second external supports that are respectively fitted into first and second support holders of an upper end cap, and the handle comprises first and second internal supports that are captured and held by first and second keepers of a filter assembly outlet.
20. In paragraph 19, the handle is rotatable and trapping with respect to the first and second keepers and the first and second support holders, forming a filter set.

Description

water treatment system The present disclosure relates to a water treatment system, and more specifically, to a point-of-use water treatment system for residential use. Conventional water treatment systems are often used to treat water intended for human consumption. These treatment systems can be configured to remove pathogens, chemical contaminants, and turbidity from water. Many conventional treatment methods can be broadly classified as solid separation using physical and/or chemical processes, or as sterilization using heat, irradiation, or chemical additives. For example, conventional water treatment systems often include carbon filtration, non-carbon filtration, distillation, ozone treatment, reverse osmosis, ion exchange components, chlorination components, aeration components, advanced oxidation process components, coagulation components, sedimentation components, or ultraviolet radiation components. Conventional point-of-use water treatment systems are designed for use at a single water outlet, such as a sink or water distributor. Conventional point-of-use water treatment systems are connected to a compressed water supply to treat the water as it is distributed. In some use cases, the water treatment system is located on the countertop adjacent to the sink. In countertop use cases, the water treatment system is often connected to the end of the faucet so that water exiting the faucet can be diverted through the system before being distributed. Countertop space is limited in many use cases, particularly for conventional water treatment systems, which are unlikely to be immediately relocated for storage, as opposed to kitchen utensils or cutting boards. For this reason, conventional countertop treatment systems are frequently placed in less-used areas of the countertop, such as under kitchen walls or upper cabinets. While this placement of conventional water treatment systems is considered an acceptable use of countertop space, it often requires the removal or significant relocation of the system for maintenance (e.g., filter maintenance). In other applications, the water treatment system is located under the countertop, for example, within a cabinet under the sink. In a typical under-countertop use case, the water treatment system is connected to a water supply line upstream from a standard faucet. In these cases, the water treatment system may also be coupled to an auxiliary faucet installed above the countertop and adjacent to the sink to distribute treated water. The space under the sink can be restricted, such as when plumbing and other appliances (e.g., a food waste disposer) are present. Due to this limited space, similar to the countertop layout, the water treatment system is often placed in a location such as a back corner, which is considered less likely to interfere with the daily use of the space under the sink. While this placement may be considered acceptable, maintenance efforts (e.g., filter replacement) can be hindered by the location. FIGS. 1a to 1e are perspective views of a water treatment system according to one embodiment that does not have a cover. FIGS. 2a to 2f are side views of the water treatment system of FIGS. 1a to 1e. FIGS. 3a to 3g are a plan view, a front plan perspective view, a rear bottom perspective view, a right side view, a rear view, a left side view, and a bottom view of a water treatment system of FIGS. 1a to 1e having a cover in place. FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating an alternative embodiment of a water treatment system. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a processing assembly according to one embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a processing assembly according to one embodiment. FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating the processing assembly of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 with the closed assembly removed from the container. FIG. 8 is a drawing illustrating the processing assembly of FIG. 7 in which the master filter assembly or filter set is partially removed from the container. FIG. 9 is a drawing illustrating the processing assembly of FIG. 8 in which the pre-filter is removed from the container and the filter assembly is partially removed from the master filter assembly or filter set. FIG. 10 is a drawing illustrating the components of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 in more detail. FIGS. 11a to 11h are plan front perspective view, bottom rear perspective view, plan view, left side view, front view, right view, rear view and bottom view of a processing assembly. FIG. 12 is an exploded view of a container assembly or a processing assembly according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 is an exploded view of a container assembly or processing assembly according to an alternative embodiment. FIG. 14 is an exploded view of a closed assembly according to one embodiment. FIG. 15 is an exploded view of a closed assembly according to an alternative embodiment. FIG. 16 is a bottom view of the closed assembly of FIG. 15. FIGS. 17a to 17h are a plan view, a plan front perspective view, a bottom rear