GB2441981A

GB2441981A - An indicator assembly for a filter

Info

Publication number: GB2441981A
Application number: GB0618676A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Naseem Bari; Jeffrey Kenneth Allen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-09-22
Filing date: 2006-09-22
Publication date: 2008-03-26
Also published as: GB2441981A9; GB0618676D0

Abstract

An indicator assembly comprises a body 40, 50 for containing electronic components, a means of display, a power source 21 and sensor input for sensing a change of condition to count or indicate when a filter is being used or exhausted. Preferably probes 32 are supplied to sense the presence of water and trigger a count means in response. The probes may be molded as part of a waterproof body formed from molded silicone rubber. The indicator device may form attachment (10, Fig 1) and may be attached to a filter body (20, Fig 1) such as a cartridge and uses a liquid crystal display and light emitting diode to indicate filter use and to determine when the filter is to be replaced. Advantageously the indicator is used in jug or kettle filters when water is being filtered to indicate the remaining life of the filter.

Description

Filter Usage Indicator The invention described herein, is a design that

allows any filter manufactured, to be fitted with a monitor indicating the usage of the filter and more important, when it is required to be replaced.

Currently all water filters utilise external indicators located on the jugs to monitor the usage of the filter.

The water filtration allows for water contamination, scale or debris to be removed so that the user can then either use or drink the water as required. Thus, it is important to know when the filter becomes unusable or when it becomes ineffective.

The design shows that the indicator unit can be either placed on the filter cartridge surface using an adhesive, or formed as part of the filter housing. If the unit is to be part of the housing it can be housed in a variety of ways such as clipped internally or externally.

The design avoids the complexity of requiring to be changed for different variants of the same product. This means that a single version of indicator can be used for different products. The filter characteristics change less frequently than the product, so this can result in significant cost reduction and product redesign requirements.

There are a variety of methods of measurement to determine when the filter needs to be replaced. Majority are based on elapsed time to the number of times the jug lid is opened.

This list is not exhaustive as there can be different monitoring methods both mechanical and user interactive.

One additional variation is to factor in the number of users which implies the water filter usage will increase accordingly.

Only direct measurement of the water poured into the jug can give an accurate indication of when the filter cartridge is required to be replaced. This method replies on either mechanical intervention into the water stream ie a rotating paddle or a contact method.

Both methods have advantages and disadvantages.

The invention described herein is based on thot, the unit monitors when the water is input to the jug. From this it can determine the amount of water filtered through or the number of times the jug has been filled. The measurement can be displayed as a count down from the number of times the filter can be used. This can be done by several methods such as LCD display that displays a number from which the unit counts down or up, or LEDs which can either change colour or individually turn on to indicate a band of usage.

A band of usage can be interpreted to indicate the remaining life of the filter eg when the unit is new, half used and near exhausted (fully used). A total time the filter has been used for can also result in indicating the filter is required to be changed. This is usually the result of a filter that has been left without use for a period of time the manufactures recommend that the filter should be disposed of.

Such measurements overcome the requirement of indicating how many users are using the water filter. This also overcome the need for the user to remember if he has mechanically adjusted the Indicator or any interaction required by the user.

Preferably the method of measurement is achieved by measuring the time the water remains in contact to the probes, which also indicates the presence of water.

Preferably an algorithm be used for the calculation of quantity of water filtered and the number of times the filter is being used. The algorithm used will then adjust the time when the filter cartridge is to be replaced.

Preferably this measurement method will be based on the filter cartridge characteristics, especially as every filter type can vary the water filtration period.

Preferably the design algorithm can be adjusted to compensate for this so that the unit can be adapted for different manufactures and methods of filtration.

Preferably there are no limits to the packaging as it can be mechanically designed to be incorporated into different manufactured filter bodies. The concept is that such advice can be housed on the filter cartridge itself without impacting on the actual main jug! kettle unit.

Preferably the incorporation of the device will depend on the filter body, the concepts described herein can be physically adapted to each manufacturer. Preferably the method of integration of the unit into the filter cartridge will vary depending on whether the unit is inserted into the filter cartridge or placed onto the cartridge using self adhesive backing, welding or other fixing means.

The Indicator may be arranged to monitor the water filtered by count upwards or downwards, and may have respectively a fixed upper limit or a fixed starting number. Alternatively, the Indicator may allow the upper limit or the starting number to be set for an appropriate filter characteristic.

Preferably the display means provides at least a warning when the used filter corresponds to the upper limit or the starting number has been dispensed. Alternative warning means may also (or alternatively) be used, however.

Particular examples of the display means are a mechanical display, a clock, and/or a liquid crystal display (LCD) (any, or all, of which may display the amount of filter used/or remaining, and may display other information as well, and/or light emitting diodes (LEDs), which may, according to the patterns displayed, indicate one or more states of the filter usage (e.g. full, in use, nearly empty and/or empty).

In one embodiment, before the Indicator reaches a first predetermined level, a first LED is lit permanently or flashes in a first predetermined pattern, and when the Indicator reaches the first predetermined level, that first LED flashes in a second predetermined pattern. Then, when the Indicator reaches a second predetermined level, a

Claims

Claims Claim 1. An indicator assembly including the characteristics of;

a body for containing the electronic components, and a means of display, and a power source, and sensor input for sensing a change of condition, to count or indicate when the filter is being used or exhausted.
2. An indicator device according to claim 1 that can be either a standalone unit held in position by a form of adhesive or housed as part of the main housing.
3. An Indicator device according to claim 1 that can use a contact method to determine the presence of liquid and be used to calculate or be interpreted to give the usage of the filter.
4. The usage as described in Claim 1 can be interpreted using LEDs to indicate the remaining life of the filter eg when the unit is new, half used and near exhausted (fully used)
5. The usage as described in Claim 1 can be interpreted using an LCD to indicate the remaining life of the filter eg when the unit is new, half used and near exhausted (fully used)
6. An indicator assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the count means for detecting actuation of the sensor probes and for registering the number of sensor actuations of the indicator.
7. An indicator assembly according to Claim 6 wherein the count means includes a counter for storing count information derivable from the number of detected actuations of the sensor probes.
8. An indicator assembly according to Claim 7 wherein the count is triggerable in response to a sense of the probes.
9. An indicator assembly according to any of Claims 7 to wherein the assembly further includes display means connected to the counter, for displaying information derived from the count information.
10. An indicator assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 10 includes an electronic circuit, the probes means being connected to the electronic circuit, and the counter being an electronic counter connected to the electronic circuit.
11. An indicator assembly according to Claim 10 wherein the electronic circuit is an integrated circuit including a printed circuit board to which one or more electronic components are connected.
12. An indicator assembly according to Claim 11 wherein the printed circuit board includes a flexible substrate.
13. An indicator assembly according to any one of Claims to 13 wherein the display means includes light emitting diodes.
14. An indicator assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment includes a waterproof body which encloses the components of the attachment.
15. An indicator assembly according to claim 14, wherein the waterproof body is formed from moulded silicone rubber.
16. An indicator assembly according to any one of claims 2-15, wherein the probes are moulded as part of the waterproof body.
17. An indicator assembly according to any one of preceding claims, wherein the algorithm used will determine the usage of the filter.