JPH07108260A - Water purifier - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a water purifier in which the soil of a filter medium can be found out and the filter medium can be replaced always at the proper time. CONSTITUTION:A water purifier consists of a holder section 10 with a flow path selector valve 14 for switching over passages 15 and 16 of an intake 11 connected with a service water tap 2 to a raw water outlet 12 and a water supply inlet 13 and a tower section 20 with built-in filter mediums 32 and 33 and forming an outer block of the water purifier, and the tower section 20 is provided with a pure water outlet 23 on a water supply inlet to the holder section 10, and top sections 35 and 42 of the tower section 20 are composed of a transparent material which can see through the filter medium 33.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water purifier used for a domestic water faucet, and more particularly to a water purifier capable of easily finding dirt on a filter medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a water purifier used for a domestic water faucet comprises a holder portion attached to the water faucet and a tower portion attached to the holder portion. The holder part has a built-in flow path switching valve that alternately switches the raw water taken in from the faucet to the raw water outlet and the water supply port to the tower part side, and the tower part has a filter cartridge with a built-in filter medium installed. The outside is covered with a cap. Raw water from the tap water is switched between the raw water outlet and the water supply port via the flow path switching valve inside the holder part, and when switched to the water supply port side, it is filtered by the filter material in the tower part and flows out as purified water. It is like this.

Since the filter medium of the water purifier is contaminated by impurities contained in the raw water, the filter cartridge for storing the filter medium is regularly replaced. However, since the degree of contamination of the filter medium cannot be known from the outside, the filter cartridge (filter medium) may be wasted because it is replaced frequently even though the filter medium is used less frequently and the filter medium is less contaminated. There was a problem. In addition, on the contrary, there is a problem that purified water cannot always be obtained because the filter medium is not replaced for a certain period of time even though it is frequently used and the filter medium is heavily soiled.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a water purifier that enables the dirt of a filter medium to be easily found and allows the filter medium to be replaced at an appropriate time.

[0005]

A water purifier of the present invention which achieves the above object is provided with a flow path switching valve capable of alternately switching a passage of an intake port connected to a water faucet between a raw water outlet and a water supply port. A holder part and a tower part that contains a filter medium and is an outer shell of a water purifier, and the tower part has a purified water outlet or a water supply port to the holder part, and the top part of the tower part sees through the filter medium. It is characterized by being made of a transparent material that is possible.

[0006]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the top part of the tower portion is made of the transparent material through which the filter medium can be seen, the dirt condition of the filter medium can be easily visually inspected through the transparent top part. Can always be replaced at an appropriate time. Therefore, the filter medium is not wasted and purified water can always be obtained.

[0007]

EXAMPLES A water purifier according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional front view of an essential part showing an example of a water purifier of the present invention. This water purifier 1 includes a holder part 10 attached to a water faucet 2 and a tower part 20 attached to the holder part 10. It is configured.

The holder part 10 has a water intake 11 connected to the faucet 2, a raw water outlet 12 communicating with the water intake 11 via a passage 15, and a water supply port communicating with the tower part 20 via a passage 16. 13 and has a built-in flow path switching valve 14 that alternately switches to both passages 15 and 16. The flow path switching valve 14 is switched by turning the operation handle 17 by a predetermined amount, and the raw water from the water intake 11 is sent to either the raw water outlet 12 or the water supply port 13.

The tower portion 20 has a base portion 21 connected and fixed to the holder portion 10, and this base portion 21 includes:
A filter cartridge 31 and a cap 41 that covers the filter cartridge 31 on the outside thereof are detachably attached. The base portion 21 is provided with an inlet 22 communicating with the water supply port 13 and a clean water outlet 23 for taking out the raw water purified by the filter cartridge 31.

The filter cartridge 31 has a primary filter 32 containing antibacterial activated carbon as a main component, which communicates with a filter inlet 36, and a secondary filter 33 consisting of a hollow fiber bundle following the primary filter 32 as a filter medium.
It is configured to be housed in. The top portion 35 of the case 34 is made of a transparent material so that the filter medium can be seen through.
The filter cartridge 31 is configured such that the filter inlet 36 is connected to the passage 24 communicating with the inlet 22 of the base portion 21 and the filter outlet 37 is connected to the purified water outlet 23 to be attached and detached. A check valve 38 is provided at the filter inlet 36.

The cap 41 has a top 42 made of a transparent material, and the secondary filter 23 of the hollow fiber bundle can be seen from the cap top 42 through the corresponding case top 35 of the transparent material. Has become. Further, a lid 43 that can be freely opened and closed is attached to the cap top portion 42. The cap 41 is configured to be screwed into and removed from the base portion 21.

As described above, the cap 41 is covered with the lid 43.
When mounting, the cap top 42 made of a transparent material may be removed to penetrate the cap head so that the transparent top 35 on the filter cartridge 31 side can be directly seen through. When the flow path switching valve 14 is switched to the water supply port 13 side and the raw water is taken in through the inlet port 22 in the tower section 20 having the above-described configuration, the raw water is passed through the passage 24 and the filter inlet port 3.
6 is introduced into the primary filter 32, where the chlorine and organic substances are removed, and the secondary filter 33
After microscopic impurities such as bacteria, iron rust, mold, and nigiri are removed, the purified water is discharged from the purified water outlet 27 through the filter outlet 37.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the purified water is discharged from the purified water outlet 23 of the tower portion 20, but the water outlet for returning to the holder portion 10 side is provided without taking it out of the tower 20, and the holder portion 10 is provided. Raw water outlet 12 or Raw water outlet 1
The purified water may be discharged from a purified water outlet (not shown) provided separately from 2. As described above, in the water purifier of the present invention, the cap top portion 42 of the tower section 20 and the corresponding case top portion 35 are made of a transparent material through which the filter medium can be seen, so that dirt on the filter medium such as the secondary filter 33 is transparent. It can be easily visually confirmed through the top portions 35 and 42. Therefore, it is possible to replace the filter cartridge 31 at an appropriate time, it is possible to prevent waste of replacement of the filter cartridge (filter material), and it is possible to always obtain purified water.

Further, in the embodiment, the lid 43 which can be opened and closed is attached to the cap top 42. However, when the lid 43 is attached in this manner, the inside of the dirty filter cartridge is not constantly seen, so that it can be used during daily use. The cleanliness of the filter cartridge can be maintained, and the light that shines inside the filter cartridge is blocked, so there is no concern that algae will be generated inside.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In the water purifier of this embodiment, the tower section 20 itself is directly constructed from a filter cartridge 31 containing a primary filter 32 and a secondary filter 33 as filter media.
While the filter cartridge 31 is exposed as the tower portion 20, the filter inlet 36 is detachably connected to the water supply port 13 of the holder portion 10.

A bayonet-type mounting portion 38 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the filter inlet 36 and the inner peripheral portion of the water inlet 13 of the holder portion 10, and the filter inlet 3 on the tower portion 20 side is formed.
When 6 is inserted into the water supply port 13 on the holder section 10 side and slightly rotated, it is fitted, and when operated in reverse, it is detached. An openable / closable lid 43 is attached to the case 34 of the filter cartridge 31, and covers the case top 35 made of a transparent material. Even if the water purifier is configured in this way, the same effects as described above can be obtained.

In the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 described above, the transparent material is not particularly limited, and conventionally known materials can be used. For example, plastics such as acrylic and styrene can be preferably used. . Also, the lid 4
In the case of the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, as the opening / closing structure of 3, the lid 43 may be formed of an elastic material, and the elasticity may be utilized to make it detachable. Further, the structure is not limited to this, and a structure as shown in FIGS. In FIG. 3A, the lid 43 is openably and closably attached to the cap 41 via the hinge 44. Figure 3 (b)
Is a semi-circular transparent portion 42a and a lid 43 on the cap top portion 42.
Is provided, and the lid 43 is rotated around the support shaft 45 to open and close the transparent portion 42a. FIG. 3C shows a leaf spring-shaped engaging portion 4 on the body of the lid 43.
3a is provided, and the lower end protruding portion 43b of the engaging portion 43a is a recess 41a formed in the inner wall of the upper end portion of the cap 41 in an annular shape
It is adapted to be detachably engaged by elastic force. In FIG. 3D, the lid 43 is detachably attached to the upper end portion of the cap 41 by screwing.

[0018]

As described above, in the water purifier of the present invention, since the top of the tower portion is made of the transparent material through which the filter medium can be seen, it is possible to easily confirm the dirty state of the filter medium by visual observation, and always The filter medium can be replaced at an appropriate time. As a result, it is possible to prevent the filter medium from being wasted and to always obtain purified water.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional front view of essential parts showing an embodiment of a water purifier of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional front view of essential parts showing another embodiment of the water purifier of the present invention.

3A and 3B are explanatory views showing another embodiment of the lid opening / closing structure used in the water purifier of the present invention, FIG. 3A is a front view showing the lid opening / closing structure using a hinge, and FIG. The top view which shows the opening / closing structure of a lid of a formula, (c) is sectional drawing which shows the opening / closing structure of the lid by a leaf spring, (d) is sectional drawing which shows the opening / closing structure of the lid which screw-engages.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Water purifier 2 Faucet 10 Holder part 11 Intake port 12 Raw water outlet 13 Water inlet 14 Flow path switching valve 20 Tower part 21 Base part 23 Water purification outlet 31 Filter cartridge 32 Primary filter (filter material) 33 Secondary filter (filter material) 35 Case Top part 41 Cap 42 Cap top part 43 Lid

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A tower part having a flow path switching valve capable of alternately switching a passage of an intake port connected to a water faucet between a raw water outlet and a water supply port, a tower containing a filter medium and forming a contour of a water purifier. A water purifier having a water purification outlet or a water supply port to the holder portion, and a top of the tower portion made of a transparent material through which the filter medium can be seen. 2. The water purifier according to claim 1, wherein an openable lid is provided on the top of the tower portion made of the transparent material. 3. The tower unit according to claim 1, wherein a filter cartridge accommodating the filter medium is built in the tower portion, and a top portion of the filter cartridge is made of a transparent material corresponding to a top portion made of a transparent material of the tower portion. Water purifier as described. 4. The water purifier according to claim 1, wherein the filter medium is housed in a filter cartridge that also serves as a tower body.