Patent Application
20120061312
The present invention relates generally to a reusable filter cartridge for a water pitcher. More particularly, the invention relates to a reusable filter cartridge, which can be filled with granular filter material, in the shape of a cup having an open top and at least one outlet aperture for filtering liquids, particularly water.
Ion exchangers and activated charcoal are typically used in providing consumers with a means to filter water. In general, known filter cartridges have a central longitudinal axis and are arranged vertically such that a lid is fixed or welded at the top and the outlet apertures are at the bottom when installed in a water pitcher or other similar device. The water to be filtered flows into the filter cartridge, through the inlets in the lid, passing over the filtering media and exits the filter cartridge through the outlet apertures. The filer cartridges are placed in a water pitcher or other similar device so that unfiltered water, such as standard tap water, is forced through the filter cartridge and is collected.
Filter cartridges are known which have narrow slits forming the inlet and outlet apertures, as these are easy to manufacture using injection molding techniques. Injection molding plastics are preferably used for such filter means. Furthermore, sieve fabrics may be placed in the filter cartridge to prevent the filtering material from escaping through the inlet or outlet apertures.
The use of filter cartridges helps to reduce consumer waste. Instead of consumers purchasing bottled water, traditional filter cartridges may provide the consumer with their filtered water needs. However, traditional filter cartridges need to be replaced once the filtering material has lost its effectiveness. Once the filtering material becomes ineffective, the filter cartridge is removed from the filtering device and thrown away. While this does help to reduce waste, as opposed to the use of bottle water, the spent filter cartridges still take up space in landfills.
The reusable filter cartridge described herein provides a means for consumers to filter liquids, while protecting the environment. Unlike traditional filter cartridges, the exemplary embodiments described herein allow the consumer to simply replace the filtering material found within the filter cartridge rather than disposing of a used filter cartridge.
To allow the filter cartridge to be reusable, the filter cartridge may have a base divided into chambers. The bottom of each chamber may have an outlet aperture. The outlet aperture may be circular and have a plurality of pores therein. The pores in the outlet aperture allow the filtered water to escape the filter cartridge. To prevent the filtering material from clogging the pores, a fabric sieve may be placed in each chamber. The side walls, forming the cup shape of the filtering cartridge, extend upward from the base and terminate in a flange. A notch extending into the interior of the filter cartridge may be formed into the side wall. The notch may assist in positioning the filter cartridge when inserted into a filtering device. The flange may have an interior groove and an exterior channel both running the circumference of the flange. An o-ring, or other similar compression member, may be placed into the exterior channel in the flange to form a water tight seal between the filtering cartridge and the filter device.
A mesh insert is designed to fit atop the flange. The mesh insert has a ring shape having an internal cavity. The cavity is covered by a mesh integral to the ring. The ring has a track running the circumference of the ring designed to nest into the interior groove in the flange. This tongue and groove design allows the mesh insert to be removably inserted into the flange.
To use embodiments of the reusable water filter described herein a consumer fills the filter cartridge with filtering material such as activated charcoal. The mesh insert is then snapped into the flange. The filter cartridge is then placed into a water filtering device such as a water pitcher. When the useful life of the activated charcoal has been exhausted, instead of throwing the used filter cartridge away, the consumer may merely replace the filtering material. This is accomplished by removing the filter cartridge from the filtering device and further removing the mesh insert from the flange. The used activated charcoal is dumped out of the filter cartridge and new activated charcoal is placed in the filter cartridge. The mesh insert is again inserted into the flange and the filter cartridge is placed in the filter device until the activated charcoal needs changed again.
Traditional filter cartridges have a lid molded onto the cup portion of the filter cartridge preventing consumers from replacing the filtering material. This ability to replace the filtering material without the need to dispose of the filtering cartridge greatly decreases the amount of waste produced over conventional filtering cartridges.
Novel features and advantages of the present invention, in addition to those mentioned above, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein identical reference characters refer to identical parts and in which:
The base 4 of the filter cartridge 11 may be divided into a plurality of chambers 14. As illustrated in
A side wall 6 extends upward from the base 4 increasing in circumference in a conical manner, terminating in a flange 8. A notch 18 may be located along the side wall 8 and extend into the interior of the filter cartridge 11. The notch 18, like the chambers 14, may be used to control the position of the filter cartridge 11 when inserted into the filtering device by way of a loose tongue and groove engagement with the filtering device.
To allow the consumer to easily manipulate the filter cartridge 11 into and removal from the filtering device a tab 22 is molded into the flange 8. The tab 22 extends upward from the flange 8 and may be patterned to provide a gripping surface for the consumer. Although, the exemplary embodiment in
The interior portion of the flange 8 includes a groove 24 running the circumference of the flange 8. The groove 24 is designed to form a seal with the removable mesh insert 30 (shown in
A track 36 is molded into the exterior circumference of the ring 32. The track is designed to nest into the groove 24 around the interior of the flange 8 when the removable mesh insert 30 is brought into complimentary engagement with the filter cartridge 11. In this manner, the removable mesh insert 30 may be snapped into place atop the filter cartridge 11 preventing the filtering material contained within the filter cartridge 11 from escaping. In other exemplary embodiments, the ring 32 and the interior of the flange 8 may be threaded so as to provide a secure attachment. As with the flange 8, a tab 38 is molded into the ring 32 of the mesh insert 30 and extends upward to provide the consumer to easily insert and remove the mesh insert 30. To further assist the consumer in correctly affixing the mesh insert 30 atop the flange 8, the ring 32 may have a lip portion 40 that when the mesh insert 30 is brought into complementary engagement with the flange 8, rests against the flange 8 to ensure the track 36 and groove 24 are aligned.
The filter cartridge 11 as shown in
Any combination of the exemplary embodiments described herein may be used herein. While certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above, the scope of the invention is not to be considered limited by such disclosure, and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention as evidenced by the following claims:
