FILTRATION DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a filtration device comprising an inlet funnel with a cartridge seat, a filter cartridge placeable in the cartridge seat, and a sensing apparatus comprising sensing means for measuring at least one water characteristic. The sensing apparatus comprises an electrical circuit with a control gap and the filter cartridge comprises a bridging element, wherein the bridging element is arranged such that it electrically closes the control gap when the filter cartridge is located in the cartridge seat.

Claims

1. A filtration device comprising an inlet funnel with a cartridge seat, a filter cartridge placeable in the cartridge seat, and a sensing apparatus comprising sensing means for measuring at least one water characteristic, wherein the sensing apparatus comprises an electrical circuit with a control gap and the filter cartridge comprises a bridging element, wherein the bridging element is arranged such that it electrically opens or closes the control gap when the filter cartridge is located in the cartridge seat.

2. The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein the bridging element comprises an electrically conductive element for electrically closing the control gap.

3. The filtration device according to claim 2, wherein the conductive element is located in or on a sealing rim of the filter cartridge.

4. The filtration device according to claim 2, wherein the conductive element comprises conductive polymer.

5. The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein the inlet funnel comprises a conductive element for electrically opening or closing the control gap and in that the bridging element is configured to act on the conductive element when the filter cartridge is located in the cartridge seat such that the conductive element opens or closes the control gap, wherein the conductive element is included in a mechanical switch configured to open and close the electrical circuit, and in that the bridging element is configured to act on the mechanical switch such that the switch is opened or closed when the filter cartridge is located in the cartridge seat.

6. The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein a sealing rim of the filter cartridge is n-fold rotationally symmetrical about a main vertical axis of the filter cartridge and comprises n bridging elements arranged symmetrically on the sealing rim with regard to the vertical axis, with n2.

7. The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein a sealing rim of the filter cartridge is rotationally asymmetrical about its main vertical axis.

8. The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein the sensing apparatus is configured to measure at least one of a filling level, water conductivity, total dissolved solids, the level of Ca, Mg, Na, K, Chloride, Nitrates, Sulphates, and Cu or a combination thereof.

9. The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein the sensing apparatus comprises at least two separate sensing means, wherein at least one of the sensing means is operable only when the control gap is closed.

10. The filtration device according to claim 9, wherein one of the sensing means is arranged in the inlet funnel above a sealing surface of the cartridge seat and one of the sensing means is arranged in the inlet funnel below the sealing surface.

11. A filtration cartridge for a filtration device, the filter cartridge comprising a casing having ion-exchange resin therein, the casing having a water inlet and a water outlet, wherein the filter cartridge comprises a bridging element configured such that the bridging element opens or closes a control gap of an electrical circuit when the filter cartridge is located in a cartridge seat of the filtration device.

12. The filtration cartridge according to claim 11, wherein the bridging element comprises an electrically conductive element.

13. A filtration assembly, the filtration assembly comprising an inlet funnel with a cartridge seat and a sensing apparatus comprising sensing means for measuring at least one water characteristic, wherein the sensing apparatus comprises an electrical circuit with a control gap configured such that the control gap is electrically opened or closed by a bridging element when a filter cartridge comprising the bridging element is located in the cartridge seat.

14. A method for operating a sensing apparatus in a filtration device, the sensing apparatus comprising sensing means for measuring at least one water characteristic, wherein the sensing apparatus comprises an electrical circuit with a control gap and the control gap is opened or closed by placing a filter cartridge into a cartridge seat of the filtration device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the filter cartridge is placed in the cartridge seat such that a bridging element of the filter cartridge is arranged at the control gap, thus closing the electrical circuit.

Description

[0036] The invention will be described in detail with reference to the examples shown in the drawings, in which the following is shown:

[0037] FIG. 1a a filtration device according to the invention in a perspective view;

[0038] FIG. 1b the inlet funnel of the filtration device according to FIG. 1a;

[0039] FIG. 1c the filter cartridge of the filtration device according to FIG. 1a;

[0040] FIG. 2 another embodiment of a filter cartridge according to the invention in a top view;

[0041] FIG. 3 another embodiment of a filter cartridge according to the invention in a perspective view.

[0042] The gravity-operated filtration device 1 shown in FIG. 1a comprises an inlet funnel 5, which can be removably placed in a receptacle (not shown). The receptacle can generally come in many shapes, such as a carafe or a box-like container.

[0043] The inlet funnel 5 also shown in FIG. 1b has a cartridge seat 6, into which a filter cartridge 9 can be removably placed. The cartridge seat 6 is of a generally cylindrical shape having an oval base in this embodiment. The cartridge seat 6 has a circumferential sealing surface 7 of a generally oval shape in its upper region.

[0044] The filter cartridge 9 also shown in FIG. 1c comprises a casing 11, in which water treatment media (not visible) is arranged. The water treatment media may comprise ion exchange resin and/or active coal. At its top the casing 11 comprises water inlets 12 and at its bottom the casing 11 comprises water outlets (not visible). The position and size of the water inlets 12 is shown only exemplarily. In other embodiments, the water inlets 12 may be placed in different locations or may have different shapes and/or sizes. The casing 11 may additionally have air outlets (not shown) at its top. The casing 11 further comprises a sealing rim 13 around its circumference. The sealing rim 13 extends symmetrically around a main vertical axis X of the filter cartridge 9. The sealing rim 13 interacts with the sealing surface 7 of the cartridge seat 6 such that water coming from above enters the filter cartridge 9 through the water inlets and does not flow around the filter cartridge 9.

[0045] Above the sealing surface 7 the inlet funnel 5 comprises a feed water section 15, into which water that is to be treated (feed water) can be poured. This water then enters into the filter cartridge 9, where it is treated.

[0046] Below the sealing surface 7 the inlet funnel 5 comprises a filtrate section 17, into which filtered water (filtrate) flows before flowing further down through a funnel outlet 19 into the receptacle. The filtrate is thus collected in the receptacle and can then be poured out by a user.

[0047] The gravity-operated filtration device 1 further comprises a sensing apparatus 21. The sensing apparatus 21 comprises a sensing means 23 for measuring at least one water characteristic. In other embodiments the sensing apparatus 21 may comprise more than one sensing means 23. The inlet funnel 5 and the sensing apparatus together define a filtration assembly.

[0048] The sensing means 23 comprises two electrodes 27a,b that are arranged in the filtrate section 17. The electrodes 27a,b enable the sensing means 23 to measure the conductivity of the filtrate around the electrodes 27a,b. One of the electrodes 27a of the sensing means 23 is connected directly to a control unit 31 of the sensing apparatus 21. Between the other electrode 27b and the control unit 31 the sensing apparatus 21 comprises a control gap 33. The control unit 31 and the electrodes 27a,b thus form an electrical circuit of the sensing apparatus 21 having said control gap 33. Due to the control gap 33 the connection between the electrode 27b and the control unit 31 is broken. Coming from the control unit 31 the connection ends in connection point 37a. Coming from the electrode 27b the connection ends in connection point 37b. In the state shown in FIG. 1b the sensing apparatus 21 cannot measure the conductivity of the filtrate via the sensing means 23 and the control unit 31 due to the control gap 33.

[0049] FIG. 1a shows the interaction of a filter cartridge 9 with the sensing apparatus 21 when it is placed in the cartridge seat 6. The filter cartridge 9 comprises a bridging element 41 in the form of a conductive element, e. g. a metal strip or conductive polymer. When the filter cartridge 9 is placed in the cartridge seat 6 the bridging element 41 interacts with the control gap 33 such that it closes the control gap 33 and closes the connection between the control unit 31 and the electrode 27b. The sensing apparatus 21 is then operable and the conductivity in the filtrate section 17 can be measured.

[0050] The control unit 31 comprises a display (not shown), on which information regarding the conductivity measured is shown.

[0051] The filter cartridge 9 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a casing 11 having water inlets 12 at its top. A main vertical axis X of the filter cartridge 9 extends perpendicular to the drawing plane. Water treatment media (not shown) is arranged inside the casing 11. The filter cartridge 9 comprises a circumferential sealing rim 13, which is asymmetrical with regard to the main vertical axis X having an asymmetrical element 45 in the form of a bump.

[0052] The filter cartridge 9 shown in FIG. 3 is similar to the filter cartridge 9 shown in FIG. 1c. It has a casing 11 having water inlets 12 at its top and water outlets (now visible) at its bottom. The casing 11 is provided with a circumferential sealing rim 13. In the embodiment of the filter cartridge 9 shown in FIG. 3 the sealing rim 13 is two-fold rotationally symmetrical around the main vertical axis X of the filter cartridge 9. Two bridging elements 41 are arranged on the sealing rim 13. The bridging elements 41 are arranged two-fold rotationally symmetrically around the main vertical axis X.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0053] 1 filtration device [0054] 5 inlet funnel [0055] 6 cartridge seat [0056] 7 sealing surface [0057] 9 filter cartridge [0058] 11 casing [0059] 12 water inlet [0060] 13 sealing rim [0061] 15 feed water section [0062] 17 filtrate section [0063] 19 funnel outlet [0064] 21 sensing apparatus [0065] 23 first sensing means [0066] 27a electrode [0067] 27b electrode [0068] 31 control unit [0069] 33 control gap [0070] 37a connection point [0071] 37b connection point [0072] 41 bridging element [0073] 45 asymmetric element [0074] X main vertical axis