FR2784092A1 - HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE FOR BACTERIAL TREATMENT AND WATER PURIFICATION. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns an apparatus (1) treating water for household use comprising a inlet pipe (2), a mechanical filter (3) containing active substances (4), an ultraviolet radiation lamp (5), an expansion tube (6) exposed to said radiation and designed to selectively allow through said radiation, an outlet pipe (7), a pipe network (8), a member (9) placed in the pipe network (8) for circulating water in the apparatus (1), a power supply (10), and a control device (11) operating on the member (9) and the lamp (5) power supply. The invention is characterised in that the control device (11) is connected to a timing element (12) which allows the member (9) to be actuated only after a predetermined time interval during which the lamp (5) is operational.

Description

HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE FOR BACTERIAL TREATMENT AND PURIFICATION

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for

household water treatment.

  There are many such devices, commonly called "water purifiers", which treat water

  introduced into the device by means of a mechanical filter

  that containing chemically active substances, for example of the ion exchange resin or activated carbon type, intended to purify water of undesirable particles, to eliminate certain dissolved substances, such as active chlorine, and

avoid the formation of tartar.

  Generally, such a filter effectively fulfills the functions assigned to it and which have been set out above. However, it constitutes a favorable environment for the development of certain bacteria or micro-organisms which, with each use, are drained by water as it passes through said filter, and are therefore absorbed by the consumer at the same time as water. treated who

  contains. Especially since active chlorine has an antibac-

  térien, which is therefore annihilated at the same time as chlorine

active itself.

  There are also known certain industrial or household devices which make it possible to treat water coming from a filter of this type, by means of ultraviolet radiation, so as to inhibit or destroy part of the bacteria or microorganisms contained in the water treated with

  filter, before distributing the water to the end user.

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  The invention relates more specifically to a water treatment device for household use comprising an inlet pipe capable of being connected to a water supply, a mechanical filter containing active substances influencing the chemical composition of the water to be treat, an ultraviolet lamp, an expansion tube

  exposed to said radiation and designed to allow se-

  read the passage of said radiation, an outlet pipe of the treated water directly connected to said tube, a circuit of pipes ensuring the passage of water between the different elements, a member placed in the circuit of pipes allowing to put the water outstanding

  in the device, a power supply connected to the

  gane and the lamp, and a control device acting on

the organ and the lamp.

  Such an apparatus, however, has a li-

  reduced due to the presence in the tube, when the device is stopped, of a certain amount of water capable of stagnating for a relatively long time, before the next use of the device. This stagnant water is potentially the seat of a significant proliferation of bacteria and microorganisms, that such a system is

  precisely intended to fight. This case occurs for example-

  ple when the user does not use the device

for several days.

  In order to remedy the aforementioned drawback,

  the invention proposes that the control device be

  linked to a timer which authorizes the actuation of the organ only after a predetermined time delay

  during which the lamp is in operation.

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  Thus, when the appliance is switched on, the water stag-

  nante is first treated with ultraviolet before the

  gane is not activated and does not cause it to flow to the outlet tubing of the device, which makes it possible to eliminate or inhibit the bacteria and micro-organisms it contains. The invention will be better understood on reading the

  detailed description which follows, given as

  non-limiting example, with reference to the single appended figure, representing a schematic elevation view of

the apparatus according to the invention.

  As seen in the figure, the apparatus 1 for processing

of water contains

  * an inlet pipe 2 capable of being connected

  connected to a water supply, which can be a reservoir

  see or a distribution network; * a mechanical filter 3 containing active substances 4 influencing the chemical composition of the water to be treated, these substances possibly advantageously containing ion exchange resins, which have the known properties of preventing the formation of lime by action

  prior to its constituents or to eliminate nitra-

  tes, or activated carbon which aims to transform dissolved active chlorine, for example hypochlorite or chlorine dioxide, into chloride; * a lamp 5 with ultraviolet radiation; * an expansion tube 6 exposed to said radiation and designed so as to selectively allow the passage of said radiation, namely to allow the passage of radiation

  from the lamp 5 to the water contained in the tube 6, and in-

  prevent the emission of radiation to the outside environment

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  laughing at the system, in order to protect users from the danger represented by the impact of such radiation on people;

  * an outlet pipe 7 of the treated water, direct

  tely connected to the outlet of said tube 6, which delivers water to the user at the end of the treatment in the apparatus 1; * a circuit 8 of pipes ensuring the passage of water between the different elements;

  e a member 9 placed in the pipe circuit 8

  tions, allowing water to circulate in the device 1, this member being constituted, in the mode of

  preferred embodiment shown, of an electric pump.

  It can also be a simple electrically actuated valve, if the pressure supplied by the supply

  enough water to just open the container

  pet allows the circulation of water in the

  positive; * a power supply 10 connected to the member 9 and the lamp 5; * and a control device 11, for example a

  simple switch operated by the user, acting

  health on the supply of the organ 9 and of the lamp 5.

  According to the invention, the control device it is connected to a timer 12 which does not authorize actuation

  of organ 9 only after a delay time predeter-

  mined during which the lamp 5 is in operation, which implies that at the moment when the user actuates the device 1, the lamp 5 and the member 9 are not put under

  voltage simultaneously as is the case in the dispo-

known sitives.

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  Timer 12 is a very simple electronic circuit commonly used in many

Appliances.

  In order to reduce the size of the device, and to limit the complexity of the UV lamps used, provision is made for the tube 6 to be a bi-tube consisting of a wall

  inner cylindrical 13 and an outer cylindrical wall

  14, the lamp 5 being arranged in the interior volume

  laughter defined by the inner wall 13, and the water being re-

  seen in the peripheral volume 15 defined by the two pa-

kings 13, 14.

  Because of this provision that water to

  to treat surrounds the body emitting the radiation, the

  In addition, the processing size is increased.

  For safety reasons which require that UV radiation is not likely to propagate outside the device, the outer wall 14 of the tube 6 is

  coated with a reflective material 16, of the aluminum type,

  preventing the passage of ultraviolet radiation from the volume

  peripheral 15 towards the outside of the tube 6.

  The radiation must on the other hand propagate under good conditions, through the interior wall 13

  tube; this goal is achieved by the fact that the interior wall

  13 of the tube 6 is made of quartz.

  In the context of the use of UV lamps

  commonly used in this type of application or in other domestic applications, the power of the lamp

  can effectively treat bacteria or micro-

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  organisms contained in water with a duration of exposure

  relatively short, namely a few seconds.

  The delay time is therefore fixed at a value between three and five seconds, which is sufficient

  made the destruction or inhibition of said bacteria.

  There are also different ways of treating bacteria with light radiation, which consists of treating the target either directly, corresponding to radiation of wavelength between 0.185 and 0.280 microns, in which case the bacteria are they - same

  degraded by the impact of radiation; either in an

  direct, corresponding to UV radiation with a wavelength less than 0.185 microns, in which case ozone molecules are formed in the immediate environment of the

  target, constituting a destructive or inhibitory envelope

  trice. Preferably, the filtration stage preceding the passage of water through the tube for treatment with ultraviolet rays, consists of a filter of which an active substance 4 is an ion exchange resin; the effectiveness of such resins in combating the formation of tartar

  being perfectly known and demonstrated.

  A device of this type, equipped with a timing system

  as described above, guarantees the use

  of this type of purifier against a treatment of

  water potentially generating excessive concentrations

  ves of bacteria, germs, microorganisms of different types. Because treatments aimed at preventing the formation

  limestone and soften drinking water, are often

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  wind implemented at the expense of compliance with certain limits

  bacteriological mites, whether or not fixed by official standards

  skies. In this perspective, the invention reconciles the treatment

  physico-chemical and mechanical water, with effective bacteriological treatment in modes and

various frequencies of use.

  The apparatus according to the invention provides the user

  at each new start-up, even after a

  prolonged period of inactivity, a first glass of water

good bacteriological quality.

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Claims (8)

  1- Household water treatment device (1) comprising an inlet pipe (2) capable of being connected to a water supply, a mechanical filter (3) containing active substances (4) influencing the chemical composition of the water to be treated, a lamp (5) for   ultraviolet radiation, an expansion tube (6) exposed to-   said radiation and designed so as to selectively allow the passage of said radiation, an outlet pipe (7) of the treated water directly connected to said tube (6), a circuit (8) of pipes ensuring the passage of water between the different elements, a member (9) placed in the circuit   (8) pipes allowing water to circulate   tion in the apparatus (1), an electrical supply (10) connected to the member (9) and the lamp (5), and a control device (11) acting on the supply of the member (9) and of the lamp (5), characterized in that the control device (11) is connected a timer (12) which does not allow actuation   of the member (9) only after a predetermined time delay   when the lamp (5) is in operation is lying.   2- Water treatment device according to the claim   tion 1, characterized in that the tube (6) is a bi-tube made up   an inner cylindrical wall (13) and a cy-   lindrique exterior (14), the lamp (5) being disposed in the interior volume defined by the interior wall (13), and the water being received in the peripheral volume (15) defined by the two walls (13, 14). 9 2784092   3- Water treatment device according to the claim   tion 2, characterized in that the outer wall (14) of the tube (6) is coated with a reflective material (16) preventing the passage of ultraviolet radiation from the peripheral volume (15) towards the outside of the tube (6).   4- Water treatment device according to one conch of claims 1 to 3,   characterized in that the inner wall (13) of the tube (6) is made of quartz.   - Water treatment device according to which one - conch of claims 1 to 4,   characterized in that the delay time is com- taken between three and five seconds.   6- Water treatment device according to which one conch of claims 1 to 5,   characterized in that the wavelength of the ul-   traviolet is between 0.185 and 0.280 microns.   7- Water treatment device according to one which conch of claims 1 to 5,   characterized in that the wavelength of the ul-   traviolet is less than 0.185 microns.   8- Water treatment device according to one which conch of claims 1 to 7,   characterized in that the active substances (4) contain   ion exchange resin. 2784092   9- Water treatment device according to one conch of claims 1 to 8,   characterized in that the member (9) is an electric pump.   - Water treatment device according to which one - conch of claims 1 to 8,   characterized in that the member (9) is an electrically actuated valve.