MXPA00006733A - Pour-through water treatment dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A pour-through water treatment device. The device is a dispenser comprising a tank (20), pour tray (30) and cover (40). The length of the device is more than twice its width. Its height is between 9. 0 and about 11.0 inches. The pour tray has a downwardly facing channel into which an upwardly facing edge of the tank is inserted. The pour tray also includes baffles (33) to prevent water from sloshing back and forth.

Description

DISPENSER OF WATER TREATMENT THROUGH DUMPING FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to dispensers for treating water through emptying. In particular, this invention relates to a dispenser having optimum dimensions and shape, a tank / drainage tray configuration for better separation of treated water from untreated water, and deflectors in the drainage tray to reduce splashing on the tray of emptying as it is being transported.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Homemade water treatment devices are known in the art. Among these devices are the self-contained systems, which process water in batches. Examples of batch devices are pitchers / jugs and larger dispensers, from which the treated water is emptied through a spigot. These systems usually have upper and lower chambers separated by a filter cartridge. They are called "through emptying" devices because they rely on gravity to force water from the upper chamber, through the cartridge, and into the lower chamber, thereby producing treated water. One of the disadvantages of the dispensers through emptying is that they have not been optimally sized and configured. They tend to be wider than necessary, and less long and taller than they could be, which wastes valuable refrigerator space. Its dimensions and shape have also not been optimized to fit under the faucet in the kitchen sink when the emptying tray is being filled. As a result of recent improvements in filtration media for devices through emptying, biological contaminants, such as protozoan cysts (eg, cryptosporidium) can now be removed. However, the successful removal of biological contaminants by the filter cartridge is of no benefit if the treated water is re-contaminated with untreated water. Any contamination is unacceptable because even a small amount of biological contaminant would make all the treated water inadequate for drinking. One way in which the treated water can be contaminated with untreated water in a dispenser through emptying is when the drain pan is filled in the sink. Users frequently fill the dispensers by first opening the tap and then moving it over the emptying tray. As the water flow passes over the top edges of the tank and drain pan, untreated water may leak between them and to the bottom of the tank. Another problem with dispensers through emptying results from the large amount of water they contain. Users often carry the sink dispenser to the refrigerator (or somewhere else) immediately after filling the emptying tray. The untreated water remaining in the emptying tray can splash from one side to the other, making the dispenser unstable and causing water to spill out of the drain pan. What has been needed is a dispenser for water treatment through emptying with optimized dimensions and shape, a tank / drainage tray arrangement for a better separation of treated water from untreated water, and a drainage tray configuration that reduce splash on the drain tray.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the invention, a water treatment dispenser comprises a tank for receiving treated water, a drainage tray inserted into the tank, and a cover covering the drainage tray. The length of the dispenser is more than twice its width. In another aspect of the invention, a water treatment dispenser comprises a tank for receiving treated water and a drainage tray inserted into the tank. The height of the dispenser is more than 22.86 cm but less than 27.94 cm. In another aspect of the invention, a water treatment dispenser comprises a tank for receiving treated water, a drainage tray has a channel that generally looks down around its periphery, towards which an edge facing upwards of the tank is inserted. In another aspect of the invention, a water treatment dispenser comprises a tank for receiving treated water, a drainage tray inserted in the tank, and a cover that covers the drainage tray. The draining tray has a deflector extending inwards towards an interior of the draining tray. These and other advantages and features of novelty, which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, for a better understanding of the invention and its advantages, reference should be made to the drawings, which form part of the present, and the accompanying descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers identify corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a water treatment device in accordance with the present invention, with the cover removed; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1, and; Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the device shown in Figure 1, showing the intersection between the cover, drainage tray and tank.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The water treatment device 1 0 includes the tank 20, the drainage tray 30, the lid 40 and the filter cartridge 60. The device 10 is used as other devices through draining. The drainage tray 30 is filled with water from the tap. By the force of gravity, water passes through the filter cartridge 60 and into the tank 20. In the case of the dispenser arrangement described herein, the user empties treated water out of the tank 20 through the spigot 50. The device 1 0 is sized and configured to make optimal use of the space available in most refrigerators. Because it is long and narrow (more than twice its width), it takes a minimum amount of space from the available front shelf, while not wasting space on the shelf behind it. It is also relatively high, approximately the height of a carton of milk, which takes additional advantage of the available space. The specific dimensions of the preferred device are as follows: the height H 1 (with cover 40 on top) is 26.03 cm; the width W is 13.97 cm; and the length L is 29.06 cm. These dimensions could be varied within the principles of the invention to make a dispenser of different size, but relatively narrow, long and high. The 1 0 device is also sized and configured to fit in most kitchen sinks. The length dimension L is short enough to fit diagonally or longitudinally in the sink. The narrow width dimension W, and the rounded ends 12 of the device 10, make it easier for the device 10 to fit diagonally in the sink. The height of the device 1 0 without the cover (H2) must be sufficiently low, so that the device 1 0 will fit under the normal tap while it is in the sink. The height H2 in the preferred embodiment is 24. 1 5 cm, but it could be a little bit larger or smaller within the principles of the invention. The drainage tray 30 and the tank 20 are configured to prevent untreated water from leaking between the drainage tray 30 and the upper edge 22 of the tank 20, when the drainage tray 30 is being filled or when the device 10 is being transported The drainage tray 30 includes the cover 37 that extends outwardly near the top of the drainage tray 30, and on the upper edge 22 of the tank 20. The projecting wall 38 extends downwardly from an exterior end of the drainage tray 30. cover 37 and along the outside of the upper wall 21 of the tank 20. In this form, a downward facing channel 36 is formed in which the upper edge 22 of the upper wall 21 of the tank 20 is inserted. It will be understood that the shape and orientation of the channel 36 and its location in the emptying tray 30 could be varied. The protruding wall 38, although it is preferred because it helps retain the drainage tray 30 in the tank 20 and helps block untreated water from entering the tank 20, is not absolutely necessary. The channel 36 and the lid 37 need not be molded as part of the drainage tray 30, but could be a separate part attached thereto. The top edge 22 of the tank 20 also need not be its highest edge, but could be placed lower in the tank 20. The cover 40 is placed on the top of the device 10 after it has been filled. The cover 40 is retained in the drainage tray 30 by the peripheral wall 42 that surrounds the retaining wall 39, which extends upwardly of the lid 37. The bottom of the peripheral wall 42 rests on the upper side of the lid 37. The emptying tray 30 includes baffles 33. When the device 10 is being transported by tongue lugs 23 in the tank 20 (the drainage tray 30 has projections of corresponding shapes 34 that rest in the tank 20), the remaining water in the drainage tray 30 can splash from one side to the other, making the device unstable, and potentially causing water spills out of the drain pan 30. Baffles 33 are provided to prevent this. In the preferred embodiment, there are vertical walls extending perpendicularly from the interior side walls 35 of the drainage tray into the drainage tray 30. They are placed opposite one another in the center of the drainage tray 30. It will be understood that the number, shape and placement of the baffles could be varied within the principles of the invention.

Referring to Figure 2, the emptying tray 30 tapers down towards the sleeve 32, so that all the water in the emptying tray 30 is drained through the filter cartridge 60. Similarly, as seen better in Figure 1, the emptying tray 30 also tapers downward towards its longitudinal center line, so that all the water on the side of the baffles 33 opposite the filter cartridge 60 is drained into the cartridge. filter 60. Filter cartridge 60 is sealed to sleeve 32 by an O-ring 62. It will be understood that a variety of filter cartridges could be employed, having a variety of means within the principles of the invention. The treated water is emptied from the tank 20 through the spike 50. The spike 50 includes a valve 52 movable between the open and closed positions by the lever 54. The spike 50 is sealed at the outlet of the spike 27 of the tank 20 via a O-ring 56. The bottom of the spout outlet 27 and the bottom of the valve chamber 53 are placed very low in the tank 20, below the bottom of the tank 25, to allow the tank 20 to drain completely. The base 24 raises the tank 20 so that the bottom of the spike 50 does not touch the shelf of the refrigerator or the surface on which the device 10 is placed. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment described above. , which is only illustrative. Changes can be made in detail, especially in the matters of form, size, arrangement of parts or material of components, within the principles of the invention up to the maximum indicated by the broad general meanings of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. .

Claims (16)

1. CLAIMS 1 . A water treatment device from which treated water is dispensed through a spike, comprising a tank for receiving treated water, a drainage tray inserted in said tank and a cover covering said drainage tray, the length of the device more than double the width of the device.
2. 2. A water treatment device according to claim 1, wherein said length is more than 36.83 cm.
3. 3. A water treatment device according to claim 1, wherein said width is less than 1 7.78 cm.
4. 4. A water treatment device according to claim 1, wherein a height of the dispenser is more than 22.86 cm.
5. 5. A water treatment device from which the treated water is dispensed through a spike, comprising a tank for receiving treated water and a drainage tray inserted in said tank, the height of the device being more than 22.86 cm but less than about 27.94 cm.
6. 6. A water treatment device according to claim 5, wherein said height is approximately 26.03 cm.
7. A water treatment device according to claim 5, wherein a length of the dispenser is more than 36.83 cm but less than about 40.64 cm.
8. 8. A water treatment device according to claim 7, wherein said length is approximately 39.37 cm.
9. 9. A water treatment device according to claim 7, wherein the opposite ends of said tank are rounded.
10. 10. A water treatment device according to claim 5, wherein a width of the dispenser is less than 17.78 cm. eleven .
11. A water treatment device from which treated water is dispensed through a spike, comprising: (a) a tank for receiving treated water; (b) a drainage tray inserted into said tank, said draining tray having a deflector extending inward toward an interior of said drainage tray; and (c) a cover covering said drainage tray.
12. 12. A water treatment device according to claim 1, wherein said baffle is positioned near the center of said emptying tray.
13. 13. A water treatment device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of deflectors extending inwardly toward an interior of said drainage tray.
14. 14. A water treatment device according to claim 1, wherein said deflectors extend towards each other from opposite sides of said drainage tray, leaving a space therebetween through which the water can move.
15. 15. A water treatment device according to claim 1, wherein said baffle is molded as part of said emptying tray.
16. 16. A water treatment device according to claim 1, wherein said deflector comprises a generally vertical wall, which extends generally perpendicularly from an internal wall of said drainage tray.