AU690045B2 - Improved countertop distiller - Google Patents

Improved countertop distiller Download PDF

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Publication number
AU690045B2
AU690045B2 AU12646/97A AU1264697A AU690045B2 AU 690045 B2 AU690045 B2 AU 690045B2 AU 12646/97 A AU12646/97 A AU 12646/97A AU 1264697 A AU1264697 A AU 1264697A AU 690045 B2 AU690045 B2 AU 690045B2
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AU
Australia
Prior art keywords
vapor
container
distiller
raw water
connector
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
AU12646/97A
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AU1264697A (en
Inventor
Michael A. Mahood
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West Bend Co
Original Assignee
West Bend Co
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by West Bend Co filed Critical West Bend Co
Publication of AU1264697A publication Critical patent/AU1264697A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of AU690045B2 publication Critical patent/AU690045B2/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D35/00Filtering devices having features not specifically covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D33/00, or for applications not specifically covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D33/00; Auxiliary devices for filtration; Filter housing constructions
    • B01D35/30Filter housing constructions
    • B01D35/301Constructions of two or more housings
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01DSEPARATION
    • B01D3/00Distillation or related exchange processes in which liquids are contacted with gaseous media, e.g. stripping
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C02TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02FTREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
    • C02F1/00Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
    • C02F1/02Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by heating
    • C02F1/04Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by heating by distillation or evaporation
    • C02F1/041Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by heating by distillation or evaporation by means of vapour compression

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Vaporization, Distillation, Condensation, Sublimation, And Cold Traps (AREA)
  • Heat Treatment Of Water, Waste Water Or Sewage (AREA)

Description

AUSTRALIA
Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(ORIGINAL)
Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: e 006.
of 0 t oo .00.0 *0 4 00*Q 0 0* 0* 0 00400* Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: Name of Applicant: The West Bend Company Actual Inventor(s): Michael A. Mahood Address for Service: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Invention Title: IMPROVED COUNTERTOP DISTILLER Our Ref 480288 POF Code: 284030/109654 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): -1- Title: IMPROVED COUNTERTOP DISTILLER '4 Field of the Invention This invention is related generally to liquid 15 purification and, more particularly, to separation of impurities from drinking water by distillation.
Background of the Invention Reasonably-pure drinking water is an absolute 20 necessity of life and clean, fresh-tasting drinking water is one of its pleasures. Most persons in well-developed countries like the United States have access to safe, reasonably-pure drinking water. But even in areas having water suitable for human consumption, such water may contain minerals, i 'n and calcium, and/or chemicals and other substances.
While such non-water constituents may not be harmful to humans, they often impart an unpleasant taste or odor to the water. And normally-high-quality drinking water sometimes contains bacteria or other microorganisms which may impart a bad taste to the water or otherwise impair its quality. Often, such an eventuality results from a temporary deficiency in the water treatment facility.
One well-known approach for removing impurities from drinking water is distillation. Distillation involves boiling water to form water vapor and then cooling such vapor to a temperature below the condensation temperature. The resulting liquid, sometimes referred to as condensate, is collected for drinking or the like.
Distillation separates pure water from the entrained minerals and other potentially bad-tasting impurities.
And quite aside from improving the sensory quality of water, the high temperatures involved in the process are sufficient to kill many types of potentially-harmful microorganisms.
The prior art includes many devices intended to provide distilled, purified drinking water. Major problems confronting these prior art distillation devices involve accumulation of contaminants in the container for heating of the water and the lack of ease with which such containers may be cleaned.
S 15 Regular removal of accumulated impurities from the heating element and raw water heating container is important to proper operation of a water distillation device. Accumulated contaminants such as lime (calcium carbonate) form a scale on the heating element and inside 20 of the container. Such scale forms a barrier to heat transfer and results in increased heating time per unit volume of water distilled. An unclean distiller consumes energy inefficiently, is more expensive to operate and is inconvenient because more time is required to complete a distillation cycle. Longer distillation cycles per unit volume o% water distilled usually means that less water is distilled before the heating element fails.
Cleaning of prior art distillers can also be inconvenient because the raw water heating container is typically not removable. Such an arrangement would make it difficult to clean the container by rinsing in a kitchen sink due to the large size of the typioal distiller. Moreover, it may be inadvisable to place the entire device in a kitchen sink because the cleanintl water may damage electrical components.
Failure of the heating element is another probleit in the prior art distillers. Some distillers have heating -3elements that are integral to the main distiller structure such elements cannot be easily removed and replaced. If repair is impossible or extremely difficult (and therefore very costly), failure of the heating element renders a distiller worthless.
The distillation device disclosed in U.S. Patent 5,217,580 (Chen) has some of the disadvantages described above. Such device includes an integral raw water container and heating coil. It is believed that neither the container nor the coil can be removed and in any event, they cannot (or should not) be removed by the typical consumer. Thus, the Chen device is difficult to clean and would be rendered useless by a heater failure.
I Similarly, the Genesis distiller made by Soo** 15 Environmental Corporation (and based upon U.S. Patent 4,818,344 (Glucksman)) has a heating element which cannot be removed or which can be removed only with great *4*t difficulty. And such distiller is inconvenient to clean because it requires partial disassembly to access, remove 0 S 20 and clean both the upper and lower portions of the water 0** heating container.
The heating element and attached thermostat of the "Genesis device are directly exposed to raw water and must be cleaned regularly to avoid scale build up. However, because the heating element and thermostat are not removable they cannot be cleaned directly in the kitchen sink without damaging the distiller. The Genesis instruction manual recommends that the heating element and thermostat be cleaned by a three hour immersion in cleaning solution placed in the boiling tray of the distiller followed by rinsing and cleaning of the tray.
This is not convenient.
An improved water distiller which is very easy to clean and which otherwise resolves some of the disadvantages of prior art distillers would represent an important advance in the art.
-4- It would therefore be desirable to provide a distiller: which produces clean, fresh-tasting water, in which the water heating container is removable to facilitate ease of loading with raw water as well as cleaning, and in which the heating element may be removed and easily replaced in the event of failure.
Summary of the Invention According to one aspect, the present invention provides a countertop distiller having a base, a housing atop the base, a fan mounted with respect to the housing, a condensing coil in heat exchange relationship to the fan and having a first end connected to a vapor-receiving port and a second end connected to a condensate discharge aperture, and a raw water container removable from the housing for refilling the distiller, wherein: the housing has walls for forming a region for receiving the raw water container; an electrical socket and a vapor-receiving port are fixed with respect to one of the walls; the raw water container has mounted thereto an electrical heater, a 20 connector coupled to the heater and a vapor-discharge port; and the connector, the vapor-discharge port, the socket and the vaporreceiving port are relatively positioned so that, substantially simultaneously, the connector engages the socket and the vapordischarge port engages the vapor-receiving port when the raw water container is urged into the region.
The present invention is thus able to provide an improved countertop water distiller. Preferably, the countertop distiller includes a base and a housing extending upwardly from the base. It is preferred that the housing have walls forming a container-receiving region. In preferred embodiments, a moveable door may be mounted with respect to the distiller whereby such region may be substantially entirely enclosed.
-v4 ~Wt 00QO0
W
4a An electrical socket aid a vapor-receiving port are fixed with respect to a housing wall. It is highly preferred that the vapor-receiving port in the distiller wall be spaced substantially vertically above the electrical socket.
The countertop distiller of the present invention further includes an improved raw water container for heating water. The improved container includes both a water heater and an electrical connector mounted to the *9 *9 9
S.
*9 C \WINWORD\KATE SPECi12646,97 DOC container for coupling the heater to a source of electrical power. The container, heater and connector are preferably configured as an integral structure.
It is most highly preferred that the container further include a vapor-outlet port spaced substantially vertically above the electrical conlnector. The vaporoutlet port and electrical connector of the container are configured to mate with the vapor-receiving port and electrical socket respectively when the container is urged into the container-receiving region of the distiller thereby forming vapor and electrical conn~ections.
It is also preferred that the improved container have a handle and that the electrical connector and handle are positioned on opposed sides of the container.
Preferably, the handle and connector are in registry with a container-bisecting axis.
A powered fan is mounted with respect to the housing and a vapor condensing coil is in heat-exchange relationship to the fan. The coil includes a first end connected to the vapor-receiving port and a second end connected to a condensate discharge aperture. It is preferred that the housing walls substantially enclose the fan and coil, and that said walls include a plurality of openings formed therein for circulating fan-propelled Sair around the coil.
It is preferred that a vessel be positioned to receive distilled water from the condensate discharge S• aperture. The vessel may include a vessel-mounted filter 30 interposed between the aperture and the vessel for receiving distilled water expelled from the aperture.
9 oo.
9 9 5a According to another aspect, the invention provides a method for distilling a quantity of raw water including the steps of: providing a countertop distiller having a base, a base-supported housing having a wall and an electric socket and a vapor-receiving port fixed with respect to the wall, a fan mounted with respect to the housing, and a condensing coil in heat exchange relationship to the fan and having a first end connected to a vapor-receiving port and a second end connected to a condensate discharge aperture; providing a raw water container having an electrical connector and a vapor-outlet port affixed thereto; placing a quantity of raw water into the container; and urging the container toward the wall, thereby engaging the connector with the socket and the vapor-outlet port with the vapor-receiving port.
The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
e a a
A
w~Nr O~~INWORO1XSAMOCM246-01 DC -6- Brief Description of the Drawinrs FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the inventive distiller.
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the inventive distiller showing an exemplary water heater container.
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the inventive distiller showing the vapor-receiving port and electrical socket.
FIGURE 4 shows one embodiment of the exemplary water heater container.
FIGURE 5 is another view of an exemplary water heater container.
Detailed Descriptions of the Preferred Embodiments FIGURES 1-3 show oie embodiment of Applicant's inventive countertop distiller 10. Distiller 10 has a base 11 and a housing 13 extending upwardly from base 11.
Housing 13 has walls 15a, 15b and 15c forming a 20 container-receiving region 17 and a door 19 for enclosing such container-receiving region 17. Housing 13 may be made of any suitable material such as metal or plastic.
Vessel 21 is provided for receiving distilled water.
Panel 23 includes controls for operating distiller FIGURE 2 shows raw water container 25 positioned in container-receiving region 17. Door 19 is in an open position permitting access to container 25. Handle 27 g S -7for gripping container 25 is shown as is lid 29 and latch 31 for holding lid 29 in a closed position on container opening 59.
FIGURE 3 shows distiller 10 with containex removed from the container-receiving region 17.
Electrical socket 33 and a vapor-receiving port 35 are fixed with respect to housing wall 37. As shown in FIGURE 3, the vapor-receiving port in wall 37 is spaced substantially vertically above electrical socket 33.
As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, housing walls 39 substantially enclose fan 41, fan motor 43 and vaporcondensing coil 45. Walls 39 include a plurality of openings 47 formed therein for circulating fan-propelled air around coil 45. As shown in FIGURE 3, the coil is in 15 heat-exchange relationship to fan 41. Coil 45 is made of any suitable heat-transfer material and may include fins (represented by number 49) to further facilitate heat transfer. One end of coil 45 is connected to vaporreceiving port 35 and the other end of coil 45 is 20 connected to condensate discharge aperture 51.
FIGURES 4 and 5 show one preferred embodiment of container 25 and its various components. Container o includes heater 53 and an electrical connector 57 mounted *to container 25 for coupling heater 53 to a source of 2$ electrical power. In the embodiment shown, the container heater 53 and electrical connector 57 are configured as an integral structure. Heater 53 is a resistance heater designed to be immersed in water within container However, in alternative embodiments of the invention, the heater may be separated from the raw water by a panel or the like.
Container 25 further includes removable lid 29 and latch 31 to hold lid 29 in place over container opening 59. Handle 27 is included to provide a means of gripping the container 25. The container 25 may be made of any suitable material such as metal or plastic.
Vapor-outlet port 55 and electrical connector 57 are positioned along container rear wall 61. In the preferred embodiment shown, vapor-outlet port 55 is spaced substantially vertically above electrical connector 57. Vapor-outlet port 55 and electrical connector 57 preferably are on container rear wall 61 which is opposed from container front wall 63 on which handle 27 is positioned. It is highly preferred that handle 27 and electrical connector 57 be coincident with a container-bisecting axis 67.
Vapor-outlet port 55 and electrical connector 57 are configured and arranged so that they will mate with the vapor-receiving port 35 and electrical socket 33 respectively in wall 37 of distiller 10 when container 15 is urged into container receiving region 17. This novel configuration allows formation of vapor and electrical connections simultaneously and immediately merely by inserting the container 25 into the container receiving region 17 of distiller 20 The inventive container 25 is easy to fill with raw ater because container 25 can be removed from distiller and filled with water (throu, h opening 59) directly from the kitchen tap. Cleaning is convenient because the *entire container 25, including heater, 53 can be removed and placed in the kitchen sink. In the unlikely event of heater 53 failure, only the container 25 and not the entire distiller 10, need be replaced.
Referring again to FIGURES 2 and 3, vessel 21 is supported on base 11 for receiving distilled water from aperture 51. Vessel 21 may include a vessel-mounted filter 65 interposed between aperture 51 and vessel 21 for further purification of the condensate. Water expelled from aperture 51 passes through filter 6! before entering verGeli 21 and is substantially removed of any impurities remaining after distillation.
In operation, a quantity of raw water is loaded into container 25 through opening 59. Lid 29 is closed and held in place by latch 31. Container 25 is urged into container receiving region 17 substantially simultaneously connecting connector 57 to socket 33 and vapor-outlet port 55 to vapor-receiving port 35 each of S which are preferably coincident with a containerbisecting axis 67.
Distiller 10 is activated causing heater 53 to boil raw water in container 25. The resulting vapor exits container 25 through the connection formed by the mating of vapor-outlet port 55 and vapor-receiving port 35 and enters into condensing coil 45. Air is drawn through openings 47 and around coil 45 by fan 41. The vapor in coil 45 condenses to form a condensate which is expelled from the coil through discharge aperture 51.
P" 15 Preferably, the condensate is passed through filter before being collected for in vessel 21. Vessel 21 may be removed from base 11 and placed in a cool location to chill the distilled, now delicious, water.
While the principles of this invention have brdescribed in connection with specific embodiments, j should be understood clearly that these descriptions are made only by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
or i

Claims (9)

1. A countertop distiller having a base, a housing atop the base, a fan mounted with respect to the housing, a condensing coil in heat exchange relationship to the fan and having a first end connected to a vapor-receiving port and a second end connected to a condensate discharge aperture, and a raw water container removable from the housing for refilling, the distiller, wherein: -the housing has walls forming a region for receiving the raw water container; -an electrical socket and a vapor-receiving port are fixed with respect to one of the walls; -the raw water container has mounted thereto an electrical heater, a connector coupled to the heater and a vapor-discharge port; and '3 -the connector, the vapor-discharge port, the socket and the vapor-receiving port are relatively positioned so that, substantially simultaneously, the connector engages the socket and the vapor- discharge port engages the vapor-receiving port when 25 the raw water container is urged into the region. 0: 9
2. The distiller of claim 1 wherein the raw water container includes a rear wall and the connector and the vapor-discharge port are vertically spaced from one 30 another at the rear wall,
3. The distiller of claim 2 wherein the connector and the vapor-discharge port are vertically aligned. 35 4. The iistiller of claim 2 wherein that housing wall with respect to which the sockec and vapor-receiving port are fixed is substantially vertical. -11- The distiller of claim 4 including a door pivotally mounted to the housing for enclosing the region.
6. The distiller of claim 4 wherein: -the raw water container includes a fill opening, a lid over the fill opening and a latch securing the lid to the container.
7. The distiller of claim 1 wherein: -the raw water container has a handle; and -the container, the heater, the connector and the vapor-discharge port are configured as an integral structure and move simultaneously when the handle is grasped and the raw water container is urged into the region.
8. The distiller of claim 1 further including a vessel below the aperture for receiving distilled water ertpelled therefrom and wherein: -a vessel-mounted filter is interposed between the .perture and the vessel, 3* 3 *3 O 3 e -12-
9. A method for distilling a quantity of raw water including the steps of: providing a countertop distiller having a base, a base-supported housing having a wall and an electric socket and a vapor-receiving port fixed with respect to the wall, a fan mounted with respect to the housing, and a condensing coil in heat exchange relationship to the fan and having a first end connected to a vapor-receiving port and a second end connected to a condensate discharge aperture; providing a raw water container having an electrical connector and a vapor-outlet port affixed thereto; placing a quantity of raw water into the container; and urging the container toward the wall, thereby engaging the connector with the socket and the vapor-outlet port with the vapor-receiving port. The method of claim 9 wherein the housing wall is substantially vertical and the urging step includes urging the container substantially horizontally toward the wall,
11. A countertop distiller substantially as herein described with reference to the 4'0 accompanying drawings. Ole 0**0
12. A method for distilling a quantity of raw water substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings, *oo*o I DATED: 27 January, 1998 of 25 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: THE WEST BEND COMPANY S~ ABSTRACT A countertop distiller (10) having a raw water container (25) and a water heater The container (25) includes the heater An electrical connector (57) is mounted to the container (25) for coupling the heater to a source of electrical power, thereby configuring the container heater (53) and connector (57) as an integral structure. 04 if* I* CaWINWORLOAIcoVEjtE480288,DOC
AU12646/97A 1996-04-16 1997-02-12 Improved countertop distiller Ceased AU690045B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US63313196A 1996-04-16 1996-04-16
US633131 1996-04-16

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
AU1264697A AU1264697A (en) 1997-12-04
AU690045B2 true AU690045B2 (en) 1998-04-09

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AU12646/97A Ceased AU690045B2 (en) 1996-04-16 1997-02-12 Improved countertop distiller

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JP (1) JPH1034132A (en)
KR (1) KR100250101B1 (en)
AU (1) AU690045B2 (en)
ID (1) ID16800A (en)
NZ (1) NZ314231A (en)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6030504A (en) * 1997-03-18 2000-02-29 The West Bend Company Control circuit for water distiller
KR100337852B1 (en) * 1999-06-30 2002-05-24 장기호 Device for manufacturing distilled water
KR101690292B1 (en) * 2016-07-25 2016-12-28 동문이엔티(주) Distilled water manufacturing equipment using vapor pressure reducing
KR102153399B1 (en) * 2018-11-30 2020-09-09 (주)트인아이엔티 Supply receiver of distilled water production equipment

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4269663A (en) * 1975-07-07 1981-05-26 Mcfee Richard Water distiller
US4342623A (en) * 1980-10-02 1982-08-03 Arthur D. Little, Inc. Portable water distiller
US4818344A (en) * 1987-12-17 1989-04-04 Glucksman Dov Z Water distilling apparatus

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4269663A (en) * 1975-07-07 1981-05-26 Mcfee Richard Water distiller
US4342623A (en) * 1980-10-02 1982-08-03 Arthur D. Little, Inc. Portable water distiller
US4818344A (en) * 1987-12-17 1989-04-04 Glucksman Dov Z Water distilling apparatus

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Publication number Publication date
KR100250101B1 (en) 2000-03-15
KR970069069A (en) 1997-11-07
AU1264697A (en) 1997-12-04
ID16800A (en) 1997-11-13
JPH1034132A (en) 1998-02-10
NZ314231A (en) 1998-07-28

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