WO2000001625A1

WO2000001625A1 - Processing unit for an electrical household appliance for purifying water and corresponding household appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2000001625A1
Application number: PCT/EP1999/004474
Authority: WO
Inventors: Uwe Bielfeldt; Reinhard STÜCHER; Andreas Birk; Marga Lorenz; Uwe Schober; Martin Ring; Stefan Schamberg; Gerd Zetterer
Original assignee: Braun Gmbh
Priority date: 1998-07-02
Filing date: 1999-06-29
Publication date: 2000-01-13
Also published as: AU4901999A; AU4902099A; WO2000001624A1; AU4901899A; WO2000001626A1

Abstract

A first invention relates to a processing unit (40) for an electrical household appliance for purifying water, comprising at least two purifying units (43, 42) which modify, remove or add constituents of the water. The processing unit (40) has at least two externally accessible connections (69, 73) for an incoming line and an outgoing line. At least two separate material channels (53, 54, 55, 56) are provided in the processing unit (40), with at least one purification unit (43, 45, 42; 47; 44; 46) being configured in each material channel (53, 54, 55, 56). A second invention relates to an electrical household appliance for purifying water, comprising an ozone generator (48) for enriching the air with ozone, a mixing chamber (16, 2) for mixing the water (22) with the ozonised air, a pump (12) for pumping the water and mixing it with ozone and a processing unit (40) containing at least two purification units (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47) which modify, remove or add constituents of the water (22). The processing unit has at least two separate material channels (53, 54, 55, 56), with at least one purification unit (43, 45, 42; 47; 44; 46) being configured in each material channel (53, 54, 55, 56). The inventions enable the sequences of various purification processes, in the processing unit (40) and in the household appliance, to be controlled independently of each other in terms of time.

Description

Preparation unit for an electrically operated household appliance for cleaning water and household appliance therefor

The invention relates on the one hand to a treatment unit for purifying water, with at least two purification units by means of which components in the water are changed or removed or added, the treatment unit having at least two externally accessible connections for a supply and discharge line.

On the other hand, the invention relates to an electrically operated household appliance for purifying water, with an ozone generator for enriching air with ozone, with a mixing chamber for mixing water with the ozonized air, with a pump for conveying and mixing water with ozone and with one Treatment unit, which contains at least two purification units, through which the constituents in the water are changed, removed or added.

A device for treating or purifying water is known from US Pat. No. 5,207,993. The treatment unit described therein comprises an ozone generator, a reservoir for the water to be treated, a pump system which brings the water to be treated and the ozone into contact, a control device for preventing the escape of ozone from the entire system and a control device which monitors the underlying treatment process and controls. Before the finished water flows into a container for removal, it is pumped through an activated carbon filter to remove the remaining ozone, which was previously used to clean the polluted water.

Furthermore, US 3,692,180 describes another device for treating or reprocessing water in a compact design, which provides a small container for drinking water, in which the water is treated by passing ozone bubbles through the water over a certain period of time. This water purifier also has devices that prevent ozone from entering the atmosphere. In order to effectively prevent the formation of excess ozone gas, the ozone generator is automatically switched off after predetermined time intervals.

The known devices for treating or reprocessing water have the disadvantage that, on the one hand, they do not have the sufficient flexibility to meet the requirements of a treatment device for water purification and water disinfection. In particular, time coordination of the different purification units or subunits is difficult or even impossible at all. On the other hand, these systems do not make it possible to make changes to the purification units in a simple and cost-effective manner, for example in order to adapt individual system units to changed initial conditions in the water to be treated. Although maintenance work can be carried out on these devices for treating or reprocessing water, special measures to simplify these activities cannot be seen from this.

From US 5,851, 388 a treatment unit for the treatment or purification of water is finally known, in which several filters are formed side by side in the device housing. This processing unit is replaced by changing the processing materials in the processing units, such as activated carbon, iodine-containing resin, filters etc. The processing unit is formed by individual cartridges or cartridges attached to the device, the fillers of which can be replaced or which can be replaced individually.

The present invention is based on the object of providing a generic treatment device for water and for this purpose a household appliance which avoids the disadvantages mentioned above and by which it is possible to control the course of various purification processes independently of one another in terms of time. Depending on the nature of the quality of the water to be cleaned, it should also be possible to use different treatment units with different cleaning processes.

This object is achieved in a first invention by the features of the characterizing part of patent claim 1. The construction of the treatment unit with different material paths to different purification units makes it possible to optimally meet the requirements of a generic treatment unit for water purification and water disinfection. As far as the part of the water purification is concerned, filters can be provided in the treatment unit, for example, which filter suspended matter, solid particles or other undesirable parts out of the water to be treated. At the same time, water can be disinfected via the at least second substance path the one in which the water is circulated in a reaction vessel and subjected to various process stages. The invention therefore makes it possible to use a single preparation unit to guide different materials over several material paths, which are prepared in the individual purification units and then either added to the water or even substances are absorbed there. This can arise in particular in water purification using ozone gas, for example an activated carbon filter to remove the ozone from the air, a second activated carbon filter to remove the ozone from the water, an air filter to draw air into the ozone generator, and a suspended matter filter to filter out suspended matter water, an air dryer when sucking in moist air or even an ion exchanger (descaler) are required. All of these purification units can be formed in a single preparation unit and can be connected to a suitable household appliance via input or output lines. In this processing unit, the individual purification units can be controlled independently of one another and do not, as described in the prior art, have to be controlled as separate cartridges formed at different points in the household appliance. Such a processing unit can be easily removed and disposed of as a whole from the household appliance and can be easily replaced by a new one.

According to the features of claim 2, several purification units are arranged one behind the other in the flow direction in the individual material paths, that is to say, for example, the suspended matter filter, the ion exchanger and the activated carbon filter can form a material path for the water, while an air dryer in series with an ozone generator and a second material path Ozone destroyer, which frees ozone-containing exhaust air from the surface of the mixing chamber when the ozone is dissolved in the water, forms a third material path. The processing unit thus forms a central station in the household appliance, in which all purification processes, such as chemical oxidation, adsorption, filtration and dispensing of substances, such as adding flavor-changing substances, are carried out. Such a central station is easy to handle, can be quickly replaced and checked if necessary.

On the one hand, the separation of the processing unit from the household appliance enables simple replacement or replacement together with the integrated cleaning units. On the other hand, the processing unit can be combined with other cleaning units Replace the equipped treatment unit if it is necessary to adapt it to the changed starting conditions of the water to be treated. This can be the case, for example, by moving or changing the water quality by changing the source of supply. The change of the processing unit from the household appliance can on the other hand also lead to a simplified implementation of any maintenance work that may be required on the household appliance.

It is emphasized that the term "processing unit" is not understood to the extent that in the individual purification units of the processing unit only "filter processes" (in the literal sense) for the processing of the substance can take place, but that such purification processes can also take place at which, for example, chemical reactions take place. In this context, reference is therefore made to the figurative description part, in which possible different functions of the processing unit are described as examples.

Due to the externally accessible connections, the water to be treated is fed to the individual purification processes and, after the entire treatment has been completed, can be led out of the treatment unit again via a single drain. However, this only applies to the waterway, which can be divided into different material paths. Another way is the airway, which can also be divided into different material paths.

According to the features of claim 3, the line couplings are designed so that they can be easily separated from the corresponding pipe connections in the household appliance or connected again without significant water or ozone escaping.

Due to the features of claim 4, the processing unit is always completely replaced when it is exhausted. According to this preferred exemplary embodiment of the treatment unit according to the invention, at least one material path for filtration and purification of the water to be treated and at least one material path for preparation of the air / ozone mixture to be prepared can be provided. The use of ozone in the water on the one hand achieves chemical oxidation of organic substances and on the other hand kills microorganisms. In this way, the water is purified and "detoxified" in this way. For this purpose, at least one material path for air enriched with ozone and at least one material path for the water are required (claim 5). The material paths provided according to the invention in the treatment unit can thus be used in a variety of ways for the processes taking place during the treatment, in particular not only for the water to be treated itself, but also for those substances which are useful for the entire treatment process, or which arise unintentionally and therefore must be destroyed again

After sufficient ozone gas has dissolved in the water and has acted in the water for a certain time, the first material path is switched on. In the filtration process now starting according to the features of patent claim 6, particulate matter can be filtered out of the water in particular by means of the first purification unit. The first chamber of the first purification unit is filled with filter materials (claim 7), which are preferably filled with ceramics or with a nonwoven fabric manufactured by the "meltblow" method. The latter are preferably finely injected polypropylene fabrics or fine threads that are rolled up to filter candles. When filtering, for example using ceramic substances, the particles do not penetrate the ceramic substances and so-called cakes are formed on the outer surface of the ceramic parts.

In order to remove the ozone from the water even when the water flows through the first material path, in a further development of the invention, a second purification unit is connected in the first material path to the first purification unit (claims 8 and 9). When the first material path is switched on, however, the ozone generator located in the third material path is switched off. This third material path was previously used to dry air, which was fed to the ozone generator in order to generate as much ozone as possible in the ozone generator. The ozone was mixed into the water before the first material path was switched on. The switching off of the ozone generator, the blocking of the bypass and the switching on of the first material path, which is carried out by switching on one or more valves, is preferably regulated by an electronic control. The active ingredient in the second purification unit can in particular consist of, for example, a catalytically active substance, such as activated carbon. In a further development of the inventive concept, it can further be provided that when water is treated by means of ozone provided by an ozone generator, at least one third material path for drying the intake air is present, which guides the air to the ozone generator (claims 10 and 11).

In a further development of the concept of the invention it can further be provided that at least a fourth material path for de-ozonizing ozone-containing process exhaust air is present (claims 12 and 13).

In a further material path or in the already existing first material path, the water is decalcified with a fifth purification unit by means of an ion exchanger (claims H and 15).

Regarding the physical quality of the water to be treated, optical properties such as e.g. the color of the water. For example, in the case of water treatment, taste or health-improving properties of the water can also be taken into account. (Claims 16 and 17).

The amount of treatment substances should be coordinated so that all purification units are exhausted at about the same time (claim 18). This is the only way to make the individual purification units non-detachable in the processing unit.

According to a further embodiment according to claim 19 it can be provided that the connections are arranged in an approximately horizontal plane in the upper region of the processing unit. On the one hand, this simplifies the assembly and disassembly, that is to say the handling, of the treatment unit on an existing household appliance for the treatment or purification of water, since the connections are clearly arranged in a row. On the other hand, when the processing unit is disassembled from the household appliance, it can be ensured that no noteworthy liquids emerge from the openings of the feed and discharge lines, since any residual liquids that are present migrate to the lower region of the processing unit due to the effect of gravity. However, mechanically operating check valves can also be formed in the individual line connections, which automatically close when the processing unit is disassembled and which open automatically during assembly. Such pipe couplings for connecting Those of pipelines are generally known to a person skilled in the field of gaseous or liquid-type pipelines and need not be mentioned in particular here. In this case, it would be advantageous to simply insert O-rings on round pipes in grooves on the outer circumference, which then engage when sealing on the pipe inner walls.

Due to the features of claim 20, it is only possible to replace the processing unit as a whole. This has the advantage of simple handling and the decision whether individual purification units have to be replaced or not has to be made easier for an operator. Different cleaning units do not have to be replaced more often, which can lead to annoying assembly changes. With this arrangement, however, it is advantageous if the individual purification units are designed in their lifetime so that when one purification unit is exhausted, about all other purification units are exhausted equally, so that a change of the purification unit is really worthwhile.

However, it is also conceivable to arrange the individual purification units interchangeably in the processing unit (claim 21). In this way, depending on the degree of exhaustion of the individual purification units, they can be replaced separately.

Furthermore, the object set is achieved by the second invention according to claim 23, wherein the processing unit formed in the household appliance has at least two separate material paths, in each of which at least one cleaning unit is formed. This makes it possible to carry out different purification processes differently from one another in a household appliance working as a water treatment device, which are then useful for the entire treatment unit for water. Due to the different material paths, individual material paths can also be switched on or off or throttled. According to the invention, it is particularly advantageous to form several material paths in a treatment unit with purification units that work independently of one another if air is cleaned and admixed with ozone on one side and water is cleaned or otherwise treated in a separate water circuit on the other side. According to the invention, the water does not need to flow through purification units which are only required in a later operation. In this way, the purification units do not wear out unnecessarily. In order to be able to carry out several purification processes in one flow path, the features of claim 24 are provided. Of course, it is also conceivable to use these purification units arranged one behind the other in parallel material paths, if this work is not always carried out as a whole, but one or more purification processes can also be dispensed with if the water quality is appropriate.

In the processing unit according to the invention, means for detecting the current useful life can also be provided according to the features of patent claim 25. Preferably, a device for detecting the total flow of the water to be treated can be provided (claim 26). It is also possible to record each cleaning process and use it to determine the service life (claim 27). The actual state can be displayed in an advantageous manner by display means (claim 28). By exceeding the maximum permissible service life of the processing unit in the manner of an expiry date, the user can be instructed in an advantageous manner to replace a used or worn processing unit with a new one in good time.

In an advantageous development of the inventive concept, means can be provided in the household appliance, by means of which a corresponding useful life information is transmitted to the processing unit (claim 29). This has the advantage that the reprocessing unit is further simplified in its construction and thus in particular minimizes the costs to be incurred for the reprocessing unit as an exchange or replacement part.

Furthermore, means according to the features of claim 30 for identifying the equipment of the respective processing unit, for example a color coding, can be provided. For different special cases, such as a targeted mineralization of a water, a taste or optical improvement, a removal of nitrate or a reduction in carbonate, differently equipped filters can be used. Color coding of the differently configured and equipped filters is then advantageous for purposes of differentiation. Finally, it can be provided in the treatment unit according to the invention according to the features of claim 31 that its outer shape is adapted to the outer or inner contour of a household appliance cooperating with it. It is space-saving and advantageous for the appearance of the overall device if the processing unit forms an independent, visible or invisible component which is applied to the outside or inside of the household appliance. As a processing unit that is quickly recognizable from the outside, this increases the value of the processing unit. This also has the advantage that a processing unit is not inserted incorrectly into the household appliance. By adapting a cavity to the outer contour of the processing unit, it can only ever be inserted into this receptacle in the correct position. This eliminates incorrect assembly and at the same time these recordings can be used as an assembly aid for better insertion in the household appliance.

According to the features of claim 32, a device is provided which recognizes whether the processing unit had already been inserted into the household appliance. Such devices can, for example, also be crushing elements which, due to their absence, indicate to the device that they are to be reinserted. Such display devices can be, for example, light barriers, infrared sensors or electrical switches which trigger a signal in the absence of a breaking element. However, it can also be color recognition signals which are emitted by the processing unit if they have already been used in the household appliance. Color recognition devices of this type are, for example, colored slides which protrude into an opening and are therefore recognizable in color from the outside.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention according to claim 33, the control embodied in the household appliance can in particular control the separation of the material paths by means of control and actuating devices, preferably valves and switching mechanisms, arranged outside the processing unit. The control or separation of the material paths to the individual purification units enables, in particular, a coordinated sequence of the individual purification processes, for example the time coordination of the above-mentioned filtering and the subsequent purification of the water to be treated. The control releases individual material paths, connects them or even closes them. The control consists of an electronic control unit, via which the individual material paths can be switched on, throttled or blocked depending on the water quality. So it depends Water quality possible to carry out the various purification processes in a treatment unit in such a way that a certain treated water quality is created at the end. The valves are also formed in the material paths in the household appliance, so that from there the individual material paths in the processing unit can be controlled.

Due to the features of claim 34, the household appliance has a microprocessor. As a result, data from the processing unit, such as the operating count, water quality, temperature, actual states of the individual purification units, flow rate, etc., can be recorded in the household appliance, which are then processed and returned to the control device by means of appropriate signals. At the same time, data on a display or in some other way can also be transmitted to the consumer so that he is always informed about the condition of the system.

Further advantages and features of the invention emerge from the exemplary embodiment of a treatment unit according to the invention described below with reference to a drawing and a corresponding household appliance for this purpose for treating or purifying water. Show it:

1 is a block diagram of a treatment plant for water, which can be integrated in the housing of a water treatment household appliance, wherein according to the invention the treatment unit can be connected to corresponding connections in the household appliance via pipe connections and can be detached again for replacement,

2 shows a perspective illustration of a processing unit according to the invention with a partially cut-open housing;

3 shows a side view from the front of the processing unit according to FIG. 2, the housing - however, as in FIG. 2 - not being broken open but shown closed,

4 shows a plan view of the processing unit according to the invention according to FIG. 2,

5 is a right side view of the processing unit of FIG. 3, 6 shows a side view of the treatment unit according to the invention corresponding to FIG. 5, the treatment unit being inserted into a receiving chamber of an electrically operated household appliance which is used for the treatment or purification of water and is connected to the individual pipelines via line coupling connections and

7 shows a section through the receiving chamber with the built-in processing unit according to the cut A-A according to FIG. 6.

In Fig. 1, a treatment system 1 for the purification or treatment of water is shown schematically as a block diagram, which can be used in a housing, not shown in the drawings, of a household appliance, also not shown. The processing system 1 according to FIG. 1 consists of a carafe 2 designed as a carafe, which is preferably made of transparent glass or plastic. The vessel 2 has a filling opening 3 from above, which essentially corresponds to the diameter of the vessel 2 in the exemplary embodiment shown. The vessel 2 is provided in the upper end region with a circumferential constriction 4 for better handling of the vessel 2. The constriction 4 can also be formed only on two opposite sides of the wall of the vessel 2, so that the vessel 2 can also be easily handled by hand by this handle. The vessel 2 runs essentially cylindrically downwards and ends with a base 5 which has an outlet opening 6. The base 5 is supported on a housing base 7 of the household appliance and can also be easily removed from it. The housing base 7 is only hinted at in FIG. 1.

To remove the vessel 2 from the housing base 7, a check valve 8, which closes against the direction of the vessel 2 by the force of a spring (not shown) and which closes as soon as the vessel 2 is removed from the housing base 7, is formed in a pipe socket 9 at the outlet opening 6 in FIG is lifted out, the outlet opening 6 closes. As soon as the vessel 2 is inserted into the receiving opening 10 of the housing base 7, an actuating member (not shown) formed in the housing base 7 actuates the check valve 8 and opens it. Such a check valve arrangement is known, for example, from the oral irrigator "Braun Oral-B Plak Control Ultra", type MD 9000, which the applicant has been selling for many years, the check valve here also being formed in a pipe socket at the outlet of a vessel and this from a tube one on the housing side Receiving opening received actuator is opened as soon as the container is inserted with its pipe socket into the receiving opening. Such a check valve device, which is part of the prior art, is therefore no longer described in more detail at this point, but is the subject of this application.

According to FIG. 1, the pipe socket 9 can be connected in a sealing manner to the connecting line 11, which leads to the pump 12. In front of the pump 12, an ozone sensor 35 is connected to the connecting line 11 according to FIG. 1, which measures the ozone content in the water and converts the values electrically and supplies them to an electronic control device or electronic control 82 via the electrical line 80 (shown in broken lines). At this point, it should also be mentioned that the lines shown here as lines are actually pipelines 11, 17, 18, 28, 29, 30, 73, some of which can convey gaseous and some other liquid media.

According to FIG. 1, a plug 13 which closes the filling opening 3 is sealingly inserted into the filling opening 3 and is penetrated by two bores 14, 15 arranged next to one another. In the bore 14, a tube 16 is sealingly inserted, which protrudes upward from the plug 13 and which is connected to a line 17 from above and from the side to a line 18. Line 17 carries water and line 18 carries an ozone-air mixture. According to FIG. 1, another pipe 19 runs to the right of the pipe 16 in the bore 15, which is also seated in the bore 15 and is connected to an exhaust air line 20. In the injection device 21, which works on the principle of a water jet pump, treated water is pressed into a nozzle (not shown) which is surrounded from the outside with an annular space (not shown). The annular space has a connection to line 17, via which the ozone-air mixture located in line 17 is sucked in during operation of the device and mixed with the water in the injection device 21.

At this point, the principle of the water jet pump as an injection device or jet mixer 21 will not be discussed in more detail, since this principle has been known for a very long time from the prior art. It is also quite conceivable that other injection devices are used instead of a water jet pump 21, it is only important that a mixture of water 22 to be treated flows in the vessel 2, in which ozone gas is dissolved. In Fig. 1 is approximately shown how the water 22 in the form of a water jet 23 from the Injection device 21 emerges and is already mixed with ozone-air bubbles 24 and penetrates into the chamber 25 of the vessel 2.

1 can only be filled up to a maximum fill level, so that there is still enough space above the maximum water level 26 so that the rising ozone-air bubbles 24 can collect there in the form of a gas cushion 27, which then the pipe 19 and the exhaust pipe 20 can be discharged.

According to FIG. 1, downstream of the pump 12 is the outlet line 28, which branches at the node 49 via a bypass line 29 and a treatment line 30, the latter leading to the treatment unit 40. A first valve 31 is formed in the bypass line 29 and a second valve 32 in the treatment line 30. The bypass line 29 leads via the node 50 directly back to the line 17, which in turn leads into the injection device 21. The treatment line 30 leads into the with several purification units 42, 43, 45, 47 (water side); 44, 46 (on the air side) provided processing unit 40. For a better representation, the entire processing unit 40 has been bordered with dash-dotted lines.

1, before the transition to the treatment unit 40, a three-way valve 33 is formed which in one position releases the water flow via the line 69 into the treatment unit 40 and blocks this path in the other position and a second bypass line 70 for this purpose, 83 to a chamber 104 of a sixth purification unit 47, namely a stock feed device, which can be filled with minerals or other substances that change the taste of the water. But it is also conceivable that the three-way valve 33 can be set so that both water flows into the second, bypass line 70 on the input side and into the line 69 to the treatment unit 40.

The end of the second bypass line 83 on the outlet side behind the sixth purification unit 47 leads to a three-way valve 72 and from there back into line 17. The three-way valve 72 in one position gives the way from the second purification unit 42 directly to lines 73, 17 Injection device 21 and in the other position clear the way from the sixth purification unit 47 via lines 70, 83 17 to the injection device 21. The line 30 leads behind the three-way valve 33 according to FIG. 1 via the line 69 into a chamber 36 formed in the first purification unit 43, which is provided with filters or a sedimentation device, such as ceramic filter materials, sieves, etc., which retain the suspended matter by filtration and adsorption which, for the sake of simplicity, are shown in the drawing as gray-black shading. The first purification unit 43 in the flow direction is connected to a fifth purification unit 45 via the outlet line 38. The fifth purification unit 45 is formed by a chamber 37 filled with an ion exchanger, preferably based on dextran. Ion exchangers are solids that are capable of reversibly binding ions due to charges. The fifth purification unit 45 is followed by the outlet line 39, which in turn is connected to a chamber 51, which is preferably filled with activated carbon and forms the second purification unit 42. The outlet-side line 73 of the second purification unit 42 again leads via the three-way valve 72 to the injection device 21 or the jet mixer.

At this point, it should also be mentioned that the first, fifth and second purification units 43, 45, 42 can also be arranged parallel to one another, which are controlled by valves (not shown) in accordance with the water quality, which in turn is controlled by sensors (not shown) into the water cycle can be switched on or off by this. This arrangement is not shown in the drawing. In this way it can be achieved that the individual purification units 42, 43, 45 are switched on or separated from this material path, which lies between the lines 17 and 30, depending on the needs of the water quality to be achieved.

The supply line 18 leading upwards from the injection device 21 according to FIG. 1 leads into an ozone generator 48, shown as a dark box, which is also not described in detail here, since such ozone generators are generally known in the prior art. A tube ozone generator is preferably used here. For its control and power supply, the ozone generator 48 is connected to an electronic control device 82 via electrical lines 52 (shown in dashed lines). An input line 74, which leads to the ozone generator 48, is connected to a third purification unit 44 designed as an air dryer, the chamber 103 of which is filled, for example, with silica gel or some other means that absorbs moisture from the air. The third purification unit 44 is connected to the atmosphere via the line connection 68. The exhaust air line 20, which is connected to the pipe 19 according to FIG. 1, leads via a fourth purification unit 46, which is designed as an ozone filter and is likewise integrated into the purification unit 40. The output line 75 of this fourth purification unit 46 leads to the outside or already ends in the household appliance itself.

Finally, there are the pump 12, the valves 31, 32, 33, 72, the processing unit 40, the ozone sensor 35, the turbidity sensor 107, the ozone generator 48 and an electronic display device 101 via electrical lines 76, 78, 77, 110, 79, 81, 80, 108, 52 and 109 are connected to an electronic control device 82 via which the individual process sequences are monitored and regulated. The electronic control device 82 can in turn be connected to individual switches (not shown), by means of which an operator can switch on differently desired water qualities, which are then registered by the control device 82 and via which the corresponding process sequences are then controlled for the purpose of maintaining the water quality . The display device 101 serves to display the individual method steps and at the end emits a ready signal.

The line connections 68, 69, 70, 75 going into the processing unit 40 and outgoing line connections 74, 20, 73, 83 are formed by pipe sockets, as will be shown later in FIGS. 2 to 7, which are provided with corresponding pipe sockets 84, 85, 86, 87, 88 can be coupled in the household appliance and can be sealed via ring seals 89, 90, 91, 92, 93. The transition of the connections 68, 69, 70, 75, 74, 18, 73, 83 on the dash-dotted line 71 is intended to symbolize the point at which the lines can be separated from one another via pipe couplings, so that the processing unit 40 can be replaced from the rest the processing plant 1 can be removed.

In the processing unit 40 according to FIG. 1 there are four separate material paths 53, 54, 55, 56 in which different chemical and / or physical processes take place. The supply of the water or the gases to be treated into the treatment unit 40 and the removal of the already prepared substances is accomplished by means of feed lines 18, 30, 70, 68 and discharge lines 73, 74, 75, 83. According to FIGS. 2 to 7, the preparation unit 40 as a complete cartridge consists of a housing 41 in which six purification units 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 are arranged vertically next to one another in the form of five cartridges 61, 63 to 66. The first and fifth purification units 43, 45 are arranged one behind the other in a first cartridge 61 or cartridge part, the line connection 69 representing the input into the first purification unit 43 and the line connection 39 representing the output line from the fifth purification unit 45. The first and fifth purification units are divided by the broken line 62, so that, according to FIG. 2, the upper part with the suspended matter filter material filtering the suspended matter out of the water! and the lower part is filled with the decalcifying material removing lime from the water. However, it is also entirely conceivable to design the first and fifth purification units from separate cartridges, which then each have an inlet and outlet line (not shown).

The second, third, fourth and sixth purification unit 42, 44, 46, 47 according to FIGS. 2 to 7 are also formed by individual cartridges 63, 64, 65, 66, all of which are either individually removed from the housing 41 after their wear and tear can be replaced by new cartridges. However, they can also be dimensioned so that they are all matched to one another in such a way that, for example, when the most heavily used cartridge 61, namely the first purification unit 43, is used up, all the other purification units 42, 44, 45, 46, 47 are roughly the same are used up. In this state, the entire purification unit 40 together with the housing 41 is then removed from the device box 67 (FIGS. 6 and 7) and replaced by a new preparation unit 40. For this purpose, the input lines 68, 69, 70 and the output lines 74, 83, 20, 73 via line couplings 57, 58, 59, 60 are the pipe couplings for the lines. 68 and 83 are no longer shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 for the sake of simplicity - connected to one another. The cable couplings can be quickly sealed together or separated from each other.

According to FIGS. 2 to 6, two line connections 68, 83 are also formed near the bottom of the processing unit 40, but these can also be formed at the same height as the upper line connections 74, 69, 20, 73. The same applies to line connection 75; This is particularly so because the preparation unit 40 can be pulled off in a pulling direction and in a pulling direction from the pipe couplings 84, 85, 86, 87, 88 formed in the housing of the household appliance. This is no longer possible if, as the line connection 68 in FIG. 6 shows, runs transversely to the line connections 74, 69, 20, 70, 73. The line connection 68 must then be coupled separately by hand; it is therefore preferably made of a flexible hose for easier coupling.

The line couplings 57 to 60 are sealed according to FIGS. 6 and 7 at the transition of the pipe socket 84 to 88, which surround the pipe socket 74, 69, 20, 70, 73 by means of ring seals 89 to 93. At this point, the line couplings 57 to 60 are not dealt with in more detail, since they are generally known in the prior art for line pipes and are therefore also the subject of this application.

The pipe sockets 84 to 88 are held stationary in a recess 94 formed in the appliance box 67 of the household appliance, so that when the processing unit 40 is inserted into the recess 94, it is centered on its side walls 95 to 99 (FIGS. 6 and 7) and thereby the lines 74, 69, 70, 20, 73 automatically engage the pipe sockets 84 to 88 in a sealing manner. The free space 100 between the device box 97 and the processing unit 40 serves as an outlet of the pipe sockets 84 to 88 and can also serve as a space into which both the cleaned air flows in from the line 75 and the air for the ozone generator 48 is extracted.

It should also be noted that, contrary to the illustration in FIGS. 1 to 7, the fifth purification unit 45 and the second purification unit 42 can also be located in separate water circuits parallel to the first purification unit 43, so that these - in addition to the connection lines 74 already described, 69, 20, 70, 73 - have their own connection lines (not shown) and can be controlled via valves (not shown) in such a way that the first, fifth and second purification units 43, 45, 42 are either in succession, side by side or in time as required can only be switched on when the water has flowed through one of the purification units 43, 45, 47 practically completely purified and is only then fed to the next purification unit 45 or 42. In Fig. 1, however, the simplest solution is shown in that all three purification units 43, 45, 42 are connected directly one after the other in the fluid circuit, so that this results in only a second water circuit, which is only switched on after the water in the first water circuit is only was enriched with ozone. The construction of the treatment unit 40 shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 with different material paths 53, 54, 55, 56 makes it possible to carry out the water purification in individual steps side by side or also at a distance one after the other. The disinfection can be carried out in a multi-stage continuous process for a quantity of water to be removed from the household appliance. The duration of exposure to the disinfectant essentially depends on the volume flow of the sample and the volume ratio in the household appliance. On the other hand, disinfection for a larger preselected amount of water can be carried out in a cycle process. The water is circulated in a reaction vessel and subjected to the various process stages.

The mode of operation of FIG. 1 in conjunction with the water treatment system for an electrically operated household appliance shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 is as follows:

First, the household appliance is switched on by means of the main switch (not shown) before the lid 13 can be removed from the vessel 2. For this purpose, an electrical locking device (not shown) formed between the lid 13 and the vessel 2 can be used, which only allows the lid 13 to be opened when there is no longer any ozone in the form of a gas cushion 27 in the chamber 25. This can be checked on the one hand in that an ozone sensor (not shown) is formed in the plug 13, which always measures the ozone content in the gas cushion 27 and feeds this to the electronic control device 82, which then releases the electrical locking device or not. If it is not released, an additional air pump (not shown) designed in the device must first generate air in order to supply gas in the chamber 25 via line 20 to the fourth purification unit designed as ozone filter 46 and to remove the ozone there. So-. as soon as the gas cushion 27 is free of ozone, the plug 13 can be removed from the vessel 2.

The same can apply correspondingly to the processing unit 40, because it should only be possible to remove it from the housing box 67 when the device is not in operation or when no more ozone is measured in the lines 18, 73. This electronic check can also be measured via additional sensors (not shown) and transmitted to the control device 82, which in turn then does not issue the command to separate the processing unit 40 from the device box, which can be done via mechanical / electrical actuators (not shown). Even if the processing unit 40 or individual purification units 42, 43, 45, 47, 44, 46 of the processing unit 40 are exhausted, which is determined via additional and / or already existing sensors 35 in the device, it can inevitably lead to a visual or acoustic display or even to an automatic switch-on stop of the household appliance come, which can then only be remedied by replacing a new processing unit 40 ..

When the lid 13 is open, water 22 can be entered into the vessel 2, which consists either of a water pipe or of rainwater or other contaminated water. Now the plug 13 is closed again, but the jet mixer 21 with the pipe 16 and the pipe 19 of the exhaust pipe 20 remain in the plug 13. For this purpose, the supply and discharge lines 17, 18, 20 are flexible in the area of the plug 13. After the plug 13 has sealed the filling opening 3 of the vessel 2, which can also be determined automatically by the device by means of a possible pressure test, if special test devices are designed in the device for this purpose (but these are not dealt with here), the household device can a possibly second switch or also be switched on automatically and the first process step can begin.

In the first method step, the pump 12 is switched on automatically by hand or via the control device 82, the valve 31 is opened and the valves 32, 72 are closed. However, this only if a control device has determined that the processing unit 40 is securely seated in the household appliance. Furthermore, the ozone generator 48 switches on and water now circulates via the connecting line 11 to the pump 12, from there via the output line 28 to the bypass line 29 back to line 17 and back into the jet mixer. 21. Since the flow of water in the jet mixer 21 is so large, gas is sucked in via the line 18, corresponding to the mode of operation of a water jet pump, so that air according to FIGS. 1 to 7 is first of all passed through the line connection 68 into the third purification unit trained air dryer 44, where it is dried and finally flows via line 74 into the ozone generator 48 and is enriched there with ozone.

This ozone-containing air reaches the jet mixer 21 according to FIGS. 1 to 7 and is mixed there with the water and emerges as a water jet 23 from the jet mixer 21 and impinges on the water surface 26 of the water 22 in the vessel 2 the water jet 23 mixed so violently with the water 22 that the ozone-air bubbles 24 even more be refined and there is a better dissolution of the ozone in the water. This water 22 enriched with ozone is in turn fed via line 11 to the pump 12 and runs again via the outlet line 28, the bypass line 29 and the line 17 back into the jet mixer 21.

This water cycle is maintained according to Figure 1 until the ozone sensor 35 in the output line 11 of the electronic control device 82 emits a signal that there is sufficient ozone in the water 22, which means nothing other than that due to the ozone accumulation in the circulation process practically all germs, bacteria and other impurities in the water are killed and small turbid substances under the influence of ozone form turbid germs around which other turbid substances have clustered. This can also be done electronically from a turbidity sensor 107 which is formed in line 11. This process can also continue for a certain time after the ozone sensor 35 has emitted its "ready signal".

At this point it should also be mentioned that it is quite possible to carry out an alternative partial cleaning by removing suspended matter and parts of small dimensions by pre-filtering when filling the water, then cleaning by breaking down dissolved and / or undissolved substances in the water and only then killing of germs by means of air enriched with ozone.

Since, when the air-ozone mixture is introduced into the chamber 25, the complete gas portion is not dissolved in the water 22, according to FIGS. 1 to 7, part of the gas mixture has to leave the chamber 25 again, by means of the pipe 19 and the exhaust air line 20 enters the fourth purification unit 46, where the ozone-containing air mixture is freed from the ozone. The ozone-free air mixture can then flow via line 75 into recess 94 (FIG. 7) and from there into the atmosphere. The first step of the process is thus ended.

However, it is also conceivable to connect the exhaust air line 20 to the line connection 68, so that air containing ozone already flows into the air dryer 44 and is then enriched with ozone again in the ozone generator 48. This can improve the efficiency of the water treatment unit. In this embodiment, however, the device in the second Follow the driving step until no more ozone-containing air reaches the jet mixer 21 via the line 18.

In the second process step, the valve 31 closes according to FIG. 1 and the valves 32, 72 are opened, so that the water enriched with ozone reaches the first purification unit 43 (FIGS. 2 to 7) via the treatment line 30 and the valve 33, in which the enlarged turbidity clumps or gloom are filtered out or removed from the water by settling. Now the ozone generator 48 is switched off. The water, which has now been partially cleared of the cloudy matter, flows via the outlet line 38 into a fifth purification unit 45, in which the lime is removed from the water. This fifth purification unit 45 can also be omitted if the water offered in a country is not particularly calcareous, or it can alternatively only be switched on by a further bypass line and a valve if this is desired by an operator or if this is specifically required by an operator Device used monitoring device (not shown) is switched on automatically.

After the water has been decalcified in the fifth purification unit 45, it flows according to FIGS. 1 to 7 via the line 39 into the second purification unit 42, where it is freed of ozone. The water containing less ozone in this way flows via the line 73, the valve 72 and the line 17 back into the jet mixer 21, where the water is only mixed with air, since the ozone generator 48 has been switched off and thus the Air 68 sucked in air is only dried in air dryer 44 and then flows through the ozone generator without enrichment of ozone and then reaches the jet mixer 21 as dried air via line 18. This second process step also runs in a cycle until the ozone sensor 35 no longer detects ozone in the water. This is a measure of the fact that the water is sufficiently cleaned and de-ozone.

In a third method step, the line 70 to a sixth purification unit 47 can also be opened by opening the three-way valve 33, in which flavors or other minerals or additives are added to the water and / or unpleasant odors are removed from it. This second bypass line 83 leads via the output line 83 to the three-way valve 72, where it then flows back to the jet mixer 21 via line 17. According to FIG. 1, the two three-way valves 33, 72 can be switched so that both water flows through the first and second purification units 43, 42 and water through the sixth purification unit 47. The material feed device 47 can also be controlled by the three-way valves 33, 72 such that only the water flows through the lines 70, 83 - and then no longer through the two first and second purification units 43 and 42.

After the water has gone through the third process step, which can only optionally follow the second process step, a display device 101, which is embodied in the household appliance and is controlled by the control device 82, can be displayed that the purification of the water has ended. The pump 12 is switched off to stop the circulation of the water. The household appliance switches off or goes into a stand-by position.

According to FIG. 1, the plug 13 can now be removed from the vessel 2 and the purified water 22 can be removed from the vessel 2. It is possible for the vessel 2 to be lifted from a housing base 7 carrying the vessel 2, although a pipe socket 102 must then be formed at the outlet 6 of the vessel 2, in which the check valve 8 which closes when the vessel 2 is lifted from the appliance base 7 is trained. The vessel 2 can be gripped by the hand of an operator via the constriction 4 and the water 22 can be removed from the vessel 2 via the filling opening 3. Afterwards, unpurified water can be poured into the vessel 2 again, the lid 13 inserted into the injection device 21, the vessel 2 placed in the receiving opening 10 of the housing bowl 7 and the device can be fed to a next cleaning process.

The preparation unit 40 can be easily removed from the household appliance in the form of an overall cartridge, consisting of several individual cartridges 61, 62 to 66, when it is exhausted. The indication of exhaustion can either be automatic or by means of a counting device in the device, which indicates to an operator when the processing unit 40 or the entire cartridge is to be changed. Faulty refilling, as is known in the prior art, is hereby avoided, which increases the safety of the household appliance. If it is only possible to replace the processing unit 40 or the entire cartridge, this improves the handling of the device, since all of them Purification units 42, 43, 45, 44, 46, 47 can be replaced with a single change.

Claims

Claims:

1. Preparation unit (40) for an electrically operated household appliance for purifying water, with at least two purification units (43, 42) by means of which components in the water are changed or removed or added, the preparation unit (40) having at least two connections accessible from the outside (69, 73) for a feed and discharge line, characterized in that at least two separate material paths (53, 54, 55, 56) are provided in the processing unit (40) and that in the material paths (53, 54, 55 , 56) at least one purification unit (43, 45, 42; 47; 44; 46) is formed.

2. Processing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of purification units (43, 45, 42) are arranged one behind the other in the flow direction in at least one material path (53).

3. Processing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the purification units (43, 45, 42; 47; 44; 46) at their entrances and exits for the purpose of their exchange from the associated material paths (53, 54, 55, 56) Line couplings (57, 58, 59.60) are separable.

4. Processing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the purification units (43, 45, 42; 47; 44; 46) are non-detachably integrated in the processing unit (40).

5. Processing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing unit (40) has one or more material paths for water and at least one or more material paths for gases, preferably air or an air-ozone mixture.

6. Processing unit according to claim 5, characterized in that for the removal of coarser particles, such as turbid or suspended matter, from the water to be treated in a first material path (53), a first purification unit (43) is formed.

7. Processing unit according to claim 6, characterized in that the first purification unit (43) consists of a first chamber (36) which is filled with filter materials filtering out the coarser particles.

8. Processing unit according to claim 5, characterized in that a second purification unit (42) is formed in the treatment unit (40) in the first material path (53) for de-ozonizing water enriched with ozone gas.

9. Processing unit according to claim 8, characterized in that the second purification unit (42) consists of a chamber filled with activated carbon (51).

10. Processing unit according to claim 5, characterized in that a third material path (55) with a third purification unit (44) is provided for drying air.

11. Processing unit according to claim 10, characterized in that the third purification unit (44) consists of a further chamber (103) which is filled with a material suitable for drying air, preferably silica gel.

12. Processing unit according to claim 5, characterized in that a fourth material path (56) with a fourth purification unit (46) is formed in the processing unit (40) for the dezonization of exhaust air.

13. Processing unit according to claim 12, characterized in that the fourth purification unit (46) consists of a chamber filled with activated carbon.

14. Processing unit according to claim 5, characterized in that a fifth cleaning unit (45) is formed in the processing unit (40) in the first material path (53).

15. Treatment unit according to claim 14, characterized in that the fifth purification unit (45) consists of a water filter, preferably ion exchanger, which removes the lime from the water.

16. Processing unit according to claim 5, characterized in that a second material path (54) with a sixth purification unit (47) is provided in the processing unit (40).

17. Processing unit according to claim 16, characterized in that the sixth purification unit (47) consists of a chamber (104) with one or more additives located therein.

18. Processing unit according to claim 5, characterized in that the purification units (42 to 47) are matched to one another so that their exhaustion begins at about the same time.

19. Processing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the input and output-side material paths (53 to 56) of line connections (20, 68, 69, 70 and 73, 74, 75, 83) are formed, preferably at the same height run in the upper region of the processing unit (40) and preferably horizontally, concentrically or radially around a common center.

20. Processing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that individual purification units (43, 45, 42; 47; 44; 46) consist of cartridges (61, 63 to 66) which are permanently attached to the processing unit (40).

21. Processing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that individual purification units (43, 45, 42; 47; 44; 46) consist of cartridges (61, 63 to 66) which are fastened interchangeably in the processing unit (40).

22. Processing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that a device is provided which detects whether the processing unit (40) had already been used.

23. Electrically operated household appliance for purifying water, with an ozone generator (48) for enriching air with ozone, with a mixing chamber (16, 2) L for mixing water (22) with the ozonized air, with a pump (12) for conveying and mixing water (22) with ozone and with a treatment unit (40), which contains at least two purification units (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47), changed, removed or by the components in the water (22) can be added, characterized in that the processing unit (40) has at least two separate material paths (53, 54, 55, 56), with at least one purification unit (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47) is formed.

24. Household appliance according to claim 23, characterized in that at least in one material path (53) a plurality of purification units (43, 45, 42) are arranged one behind the other in the flow direction.

25. Household appliance according to claim 23, characterized in that means for detecting the current useful life of the processing unit (40) are provided.

26. Household appliance according to claim 23, characterized in that a device for detecting the total flow rate of the water to be treated is provided.

27. Household appliance according to claim 23, characterized in that a device is provided which detects each cleaning process and thus determines the service life of the processing unit.

28. Household appliance according to one of claims 25 to 27, characterized in that the state of use of the processing unit (40) by display means (101) on the household appliance or on the processing unit (40) itself is displayed.

29. Household appliance according to one of claims 25 or 28, characterized in that means for transmitting a corresponding useful life information of the processing unit (40) are provided.

30. Household appliance according to claim 23, characterized in that means for identifying the equipment of the respective processing unit (40) are provided.

31. Household appliance according to claim 23, characterized in that the outer shape of the processing unit (40) is adapted to the outer or inner contour or to the processing unit (40) receiving space (94) of a household appliance.

32. Household appliance according to claim 23, characterized in that the processing unit (40) has a device (105, 106) which ensures that the household appliance recognizes whether the processing unit (40) has already been inserted into the household appliance.

33. Household appliance according to claim 23, characterized in that an electrical / electronic control device (82) is formed in the household appliance, in particular the separation of the material paths by means of control and actuating devices arranged outside the processing unit (40), preferably valves (31, 32, 33, 72) and switching mechanisms.

34. Household appliance according to claim 33, characterized in that the electrical / electronic control device (82) is formed by a microprocessor.