Filter Cartridge and Water Filter Device

Abstract

What is proposed is a filter cartridge for a water filter device comprising an inflow funnel, which comprises a valve, which is arranged in a flow channel and which has a valve body (304), which can be moved in the axial direction, in order to close the flow channel in a first position of the valve body and to release it in a second position. The filter cartridge has a housing, which comprises an inflow opening for unfiltered raw water on an upper side and an outflow opening for filtered water on a lower side and which contains a filter medium. An inversion (402) is arranged on a lower side of the housing. A valve puller (502) is arranged in the inversion, which valve puller has a main part (505) and an actuation means (514), which is molded thereon and which extends away from the main part (505) in the axial direction and which comprises a receiving hole, which is delimited by a grip edge (509) and which is formed so that it allows the reception of an actuation section (606) of the valve body (304).

Claims

1. A filter cartridge for a water filter device comprising an inflow funnel, which comprises a valve, which is arranged in a flow channel and which has a valve body, which can be moved in the axial direction, in order to close the flow channel in a first position of the valve body and to release it in a second position, wherein the filter cartridge has a housing, which comprises an inflow opening for unfiltered raw water on an upper side and an outflow opening for filtered water on a lower side and which contains a filter medium, wherein an inversion is arranged on the lower side of the housing, characterized in that a valve puller is arranged in the inversion, which the valve puller has a main part and an actuation means, which is molded thereon and which extends away from the main part in an axial direction and which comprises a receiving hole, which is delimited by a grip edge and which is formed so that it allows the reception of an actuation section of the valve body.

2. The filter cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuation means is formed in the shape of a truncated cone having a pointed end and a lateral surface, the pointed end of which faces away from the main part.

3. The filter cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that the lateral surface of the truncated cone is a closed wall.

4. The filter cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that the windows extend all the way to the receiving hole, so that one end of the strips is connected to the main part and another end forms a free end.

5. The filter cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that the lateral surface is divided by means of slits into a plurality of lamellae, the one end of the lamellae is connected to the main part, and the other end of which forms a free end.

6. The filter cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that a ring strip, which forms the gripping edge, is molded on the pointed end of the truncated cone.

7. The filter cartridge according to claim 4, characterized in that the grip edge is formed by the free ends of the strips.

8. The filter cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that humps, which are directed at the outer side of the lateral surface, are formed on the strips.

9. The filter cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that the strips are weakened at one point, in particular by means of notches.

10. The filter cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that spacer ribs are formed on an outer circumference of the main part, so that at least one gap is created between the main part and an inner side of the inversion in the housing of the filter cartridge.

11. The filter cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuation means is formed elastically, which frictionally couples by means of the grip edge with the actuation section of the valve body when the actuation means is deformed in the radial direction.

12. The filter cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that positioning ribs are arranged on the main part, which extend perpendicular and in the same direction as the actuation means away from the main part.

13. A valve puller for a water filter device comprising an inflow funnel, which comprises a valve, which is arranged in a flow channel and which has a valve body, which can be moved in the axial direction, in order to close the flow channel in a first position of the valve body, and to release it in a second position, wherein a valve puller is dimensioned so that it fits into an inversion of a filter cartridge, which can be inserted in a receiving chamber of the inflow funnel, characterized in that the valve puller has a main part and an actuation means molded thereon, which extends away from the main part in the axial direction and which comprises a receiving hole, which is delimited by a grip edge and which is formed so that it allows the reception of an actuation section of the valve body.

14. A water filter device comprising a filter cartridge according to claim 1.

15. The filter cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that the lateral surface of the truncated cone is interrupted by several windows, between which the lateral surface is reduced to strips.

16. The filter cartridge according to claim 5, characterized in that the grip edge is formed by the lamellae.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0024] The invention will be described in more detail below in an exemplary manner on the basis of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures. All figures are purely schematic and not to scale, in which:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a filter device in the shape of a water jug in a perspective view;

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a filter cartridge obliquely from the top;

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a section from an inflow funnel of the filter device from FIG. 1 in the cross-section;

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the filter cartridge from FIG. 2 obliquely from the bottom;

[0029] FIG. 5A-5D show a first, second, and third exemplary embodiment of a valve puller for the filter cartridge from FIG. 2;

[0030] FIG. 5E shows a section of a receiving chamber comprising the valve puller from FIG. 5B in the cross-section;

[0031] FIG. 6A shows a valve body in a perspective view;

[0032] FIG. 6B shows the valve body from FIG. 6A in the cross-section;

[0033] FIG. 7A shows a section from the receiving chamber with inserted filter cartridge, before the filter cartridge reaches its end position;

[0034] FIG. 7B shows the section from FIG. 7A with the filter cartridge in its end position;

[0035] FIG. 8A shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of a valve puller for the filter cartridge from FIG. 2; and

[0036] FIG. 8B shows a section of a receiving chamber with the valve puller from FIG. 8A in the cross-section.

[0037] Identical or similar elements are provided with the same or similar reference numerals in the figures. In the following description of exemplary embodiments, directional information, such as, for example, top, bottom, upwards or downwards relate to the corresponding position or direction, respectively, in the respectively described figure.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0038] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a device 100 for the filtration of liquids in a perspective view from the side. In the case of the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the device 100 is formed as table water jug and has a collecting vessel 101 for receiving filtered water. A grip 102 is arranged on the collecting vessel 101 for the handling thereof. The collecting vessel 101 furthermore has a pouring spout 103 on its upper edge. During use of the device, a user can grasp the collecting vessel 101 on the grip 102 and can pour out filtered water via the pouring spout 103, for example into a glass (not illustrated). An inflow funnel 104, which is open on the top and which has a receiving chamber 106 for a filter cartridge 200 (FIG. 2) in its lower region, is inserted in the collecting vessel 101. On its upper edge, the inflow funnel 104 has a circumferential flange 107, which rests on an edge of the collecting vessel 101, so that the inflow funnel 104 is held in the collecting vessel 101. A bottom 108 of the inflow funnel 104 thereby has a distance H from a bottom 109 of the collecting vessel 101. The bottom 108 of the inflow funnel 104 has one or several outflow openings, from which filtered water flows out of the inflow funnel 104 into the collecting vessel 101. The inflow funnel 104 is closed on its upper side by means of a removable lid 111, which prevents that dust or dirt particles fall into the inflow funnel 104 during the use of the filter device 100.

[0039] A schematic perspective view is illustrated in FIG. 2 obliquely from the top onto a filter cartridge 200. A housing upper part or lid 201 forms an upper side of the filter cartridge 200, which sits on a cup-shaped housing bottom part 202. Together, the lid 201 and the housing bottom part 202 form a housing of the filter cartridge 200, which is identified as a whole with the reference numeral 203. Filter material is received in the housing 203 of the filter cartridge. The filter material is present, for example, as filter granulate, which is received loosely or in a filter pocket of liquid-permeable non-woven material, which is not visible in FIG. 2. Different filter materials can be used, in order to remove unwanted substances, ions and/or particles or suspended matter, respectively, from the water.

[0040] The lid 201 has a plurality of inflow openings 204, through which unfiltered liquid, in particular raw water, flows into the interior of the filter cartridge 200. A grip part 206 makes it possible to grasp the filter cartridge 200 and to pull it out of the receiving chamber 106 of the inflow funnel 104 for a necessary replacement of the filter cartridge 200. A sealing edge 207 can be seen on the upper edge of the housing bottom part 201. The housing bottom part 201 furthermore comprises a housing bottom 208 and a circumferential side wall 209.

[0041] The housing bottom part has an essentially oval shape, which is, for example, 70-80 mm long in the longitudinal direction and 40-50 mm long in the transverse direction. In the case of one exemplary embodiment, the lid 201 can be removed from the housing bottom part 202, whereby the interior of the filter cartridge 200 becomes accessible. When the lid 201 is removed, a user can replace consumed filter granulate with new filter granulate. This replacement can be performed in a particularly uncomplicated and simple manner when the filter granulate is received in a closed filter pocket.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows the receiving chamber 106 of the inflow funnel 104 in the cross-section.

[0043] The receiving chamber 106 has a bottom 301, which has a pipe socket 302. A valve bottom part 303, which receives a movable valve body 304, is inserted in the pipe socket 302. The valve body 304 can be moved back and forth in the vertical direction. The direction of movement is suggested in FIG. 3 by means of a double arrow 306. When the valve body 304 assumes an end position, which lies on the bottom in the illustration of FIG. 3, the valve body rests on a valve seat (not illustrated) and closes a flow path for filtered water through the pipe socket 302. The valve seat forms a lower stop for the movement of the valve body 304. When the valve body is raised out of its lower end position, it releases the flow path for water through the pipe socket 302. The pipe socket 302 has a circumferential annular bead 305, which forms an upper stop for the valve body 304, so that the valve body is caught in the pipe socket 302 and cannot fall out even if the inflow funnel is turned upside down. Together, the valve bottom part 303 and the valve body 304 form a valve in the flow path for filtered water.

[0044] A perspective view obliquely from the bottom onto the filter cartridge 300 is illustrated n FIG. 4. The cup-shaped housing bottom part 201 has guide grooves 401A and 401B, which come into engagement with corresponding guide strips (not illustrated) in the receiving chamber 106 of the inflow funnel 104 when the filter cartridge 200 is inserted in the receiving chamber 106. A stable installation position of the filter cartridge 300 in the receiving chamber 106 is supported in this way. FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of an inversion 402 in the bottom 208 of the housing bottom part 201. Outflow openings 403A and 403B, which have outflow sieves 404A and 404B, are provided on both sides of the inversion 402. During the operation of the filter device, the filtered liquid escapes from the filter cartridge 200 through the outflow openings 403A and 403B.

[0045] The inversion 402 engages over the pipe socket 302 in the receiving chamber 106. In the case of a filter cartridge 200, which is ready for operation, one of the valve pullers 501-503 shown in FIGS. 5A-5D, which is omitted in FIG. 4 for the sake of clarity, is arranged in the inversion 402.

[0046] FIG. 5A shows a first exemplary embodiment of a valve puller 501. The valve puller 501 has a round main part 505, on which a wall 506 is molded, which forms an actuation means 507. The wall 506 has the shape of a lateral surface of a truncated cone, the lid surfaces of which are omitted. A circular ring strip 508, the inner side of which works as grip edge 509 and encloses a receiving hole 511, is formed on the pointed end of the truncated cone on the wall 506. Severalfor example fourspacing ribs 512, which keep open a flow path for filtered water from the filter cartridge 200, as will be described further below, are formed on the round main part 505. The spacing ribs 512 are formed along a circumference of the main part 505 as well as on the main side of the main part 505, which is located opposite the wall 506. The main part 505 has the shape of a circular ring. The arrow z indicates an axial orientation of the valve puller 501. This convention for the axial direction also applies for the valve pullers 502, 503 shown in FIGS. 5B-5D.

[0047] A second exemplary embodiment of a valve puller 502 is illustrated in FIG. 5B, which has four windows 513 in the wall 506. Between the windows 513, the wall 506 is reduced to strips 514, which are connected to the main part 505 on the one hand and to the ring strip 508 on the other hand. Humps 516, which have the shape of a spherical section, for example, are formed on the strips.

[0048] A variation of the second exemplary embodiment of a valve puller 502 is illustrated in the cross-section in FIG. 5C. The valve puller 502 differs from the valve puller 502 in notches 517, which are provided instead of the humps 516. In FIG. 5C, the notches 517 are attached in the struts 514 from the outside to the inside. In the case of a modified variation, the notches 517 can also be arranged in the struts from the inside to the outside, thus on the opposite side of the strut 514.

[0049] In the case of a non-illustrated modification of the valve pullers 502, 502, the ring strip 508 is interrupted and consists of several circular arcs, in particular a number of circular arcs, which corresponds to the number of strips 514 of the valve puller 502, 502. In the case of this modification, the strips 415 can be deflected more easily opposite to the direction z in response to the insertion of the filter cartridge 200 in the receiving chamber 106.

[0050] Lastly, a third exemplary embodiment of a valve puller 503 is shown in FIG. 5D, which differs from the valve puller 502 in FIG. 5B in that the windows 513 extend all the way into the receiving hole 511 and the ring strip 508 is not present. The strips 514 are thus connected to the main part 505 on one end and, on their other end, have a free end 518, the inner surfaces 519 of which form the grip edge 509. The inner surfaces 519 are oriented in the axial direction and thus rest on the valve body 304 essentially over the entire surface when the filter cartridge 200 is inserted in the receiving chamber 106. FIG. 5E shows the valve puller 502 in an exemplary manner in a perspective sectional view, as it sits on the pipe socket 302, wherein the filter cartridge 200 is omitted in the illustration for the sake of clarity. The valve puller 502 protrudes into the pipe socket 302, with the ring strip 508 first. The humps 516 thereby rest on the annular bead 305. When the valve puller 502 is pushed into the pipe socket 302 in response to the insertion of the filter cartridge in the receiving chamber 106 in the arrow direction 520, the strips 514 are elastically deformed, whereby the ring strip 508 will be compressed and will be raised opposite to the arrow direction 520. The compressing of the ring strip 508 has the effect that the free diameter of the receiving hole 511 decreases. The ring strip 508 is thereby in frictional contact with the valve body 304, in particular with the actuation section 606 (FIGS. 6A, 6B), and raises the valve body into its second position. The compression of the ring strip 508 is not absolutely necessary in order to establish a frictional contact to the valve body 304, which is sufficient to be able to raise the valve body. A frictional contact sufficient for this can already be established when the valve body 304 glides into the receiving hole 511 in response to the insertion of the filter cartridge 200 in the receiving chamber 106. The humps 516 thereby act like a bearing point for a two-sided lever, which is formed by the strips 514. The compressive force, which is exerted in response to the insertion of the filter cartridge 200 in the receiving chamber 106, is transferred via the main part 505 to the valve puller 502. In the case of the valve puller 502, the strips 514 deform at the point where the notches 517 are arranged when the strips bear against the annular bead 305. The notches 517 are preferably spaced apart so far from the main part 505 that they are spaced apart from the annular bead 305.

[0051] In the case of the valve puller 503, the strips 514 are likewise deformed elastically in a corresponding way, whereby the inner surfaces 519 of the strips 514 approach one another and move upwards opposite to the arrow direction 520.

[0052] In the case of the valve puller 501, the wall 506 is deformed in response to the insertion of the filter cartridge 200. The ring strip 508 is thus compressed in the same way as in the case of the valve puller 502 and is raised opposite to the arrow direction 517. In this case, a sufficient frictional contact is also already created between the ring strip 508 and the valve body 304 when the valve body glides into the receiving hole 511 of the valve puller 502.

[0053] FIG. 6A shows the valve body 304 in a perspective view. As it is illustrated in FIG. 3, the valve body 304 is received in the pipe socket 302 and can move back and forth in the pipe socket 302 in the vertical direction (FIG. 3, double arrow 306). Two guide rings 601, 602 ensure the guidance of the valve body 304 in the pipe socket 302, which guide rings are spaced apart from one another and the outer diameter of which is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the pile socket 302, so that the valve body 304 is guided with play within the pipe socket 302. The two guide rings 601, 602 are connected to one another by means of webs 603. A sealing surface 604 is formed on the side of the valve body 304, which is located on the bottom in the installation position. A conical actuation section 606 is arranged on the side of the valve body 304, which is located on the top in the installation position.

[0054] The valve body 304 is illustrated in the cross-section in FIG. 6B. The guide rings 601, 602 have apertures 607, 608, which provide a flow path for liquids, in particular for water, in the axial direction of the valve body 304. The axial direction runs along an axis 609, which is shown as dot-dash line.

[0055] FIG. 7A shows a section of the receiving chamber 106 comprising a filter cartridge 200 in the cross-section. The filter cartridge is inserted in the receiving chamber 106, whereby the inversion 402 engages over the pipe socket 302. A ring gap 701 is thereby created between the pipe socket 302 and the inversion 402. The housing bottom 208 of the filter cartridge 200 is located at a distance above the bottom 301 of the receiving chamber 106. The outflow sieves 404A, 404B, which are surrounded by a ring-shaped edge 702A or 702B, respectively, in order to equalize the water stream, can be recognized in the housing bottom 208 of the filter cartridge 200.

[0056] The valve puller 502 is inserted in the inversion 402 with a press fit. In the illustration shown in FIG. 7A, the filter cartridge 200 has not yet reached its end position, which it assumes during operation of the filter device 100, as can be recognized due to a distance 703 between a front face 704 of the pipe socket 302 and the main part 505. The shown position of the filter cartridge is identified as position I. The actuation section 606 is nonetheless received in the receiving hole 511, so that the grip edge 509 is in frictional contact with the actuation section 606.

[0057] The pipe socket 302 is closed by means of the valve bottom part 303, which provides a valve seat 706 for the valve body 304 and which has at least one outlet opening 707, which is or are closed, respectively, by the valve body 304 when the valve body 304 bears against the valve seat.

[0058] Even though the guide sections 601, 602 of the valve body 304 flow for a longitudinal back and forth movement 306 (FIG. 3), the valve body 304 remains caught in a captive manner between the valve bottom part 303 and the annular bead 305. The actuation section 606 of the valve body 304 protrudes from the pipe socket 302.

[0059] The valve puller 502 is configured to pull the valve body 304 upwards away from the valve seat when the filter cartridge 200 is moved out of the position I shown in FIG. 7A into the position II illustrated in FIG. 7B.

[0060] FIG. 7B shows the filter cartridge 200 in an end position (position II), in which the main part 505 rests on the front face 704 of the pipe socket 302. The humps 516 rest on the annular bead 305. Due to the compressive force, which is transferred to the main part 505 in response to the insertion of the filter cartridge 200 in the receiving chamber 106, the ring strip 508 or the grip edge 509, respectively, has raised the valve body 304 from the valve seat 706, so that a gap 708 is created between the valve bottom part 303 and the valve body 304, and the outlet openings 707 are open. The raising of the valve body 304 takes place when the filter cartridge 200 transitions from the position I shown in FIG. 7A into the position II. The frictional contact between the ring strip 508 and the valve body 304 is sufficient to raise the valve body 304.

[0061] In the position II of the filter cartridge 200, the valve body 304 releases a flow path for the filtered water. The water flows out of the outflow sieves 404A, 404B, rises upwards in the inversion 402, and flows past the main part 505 between the spacing ribs 512. The water then flows through the windows 513 and the apertures 607, 608 in the valve body 304, in order to finally flow out of the outlet openings 707. The windows 513 are provided in the valve pullers 502 and 503, but not in the case of the valve puller 501.

[0062] The valve puller 501 is thus only used when the grip edge 509 does not tightly enclose the actuation section 606 of the valve body. This is the case, for example, when structures are provided on the actuation section 606, between which flow channels are formed in the axial direction of the valve body 304.

[0063] In the case of a further non-illustrated exemplary embodiment of the filter cartridge 200, spacing ribs are provided in the inversion 402, which hold the main part 505 of the valve puller at a certain distance from a bottom 709 of the inversion 402.

[0064] The valve pullers 501-503 also contribute to a stabilization of the filter cartridge in the receiving chamber, independently of whether or not a valve is arranged in the inflow funnel 104. In the latter, the valve pullers 501-503 quasi grasp at nothing. The valve puller 501 can furthermore be equipped as throttle element for the flow speed of the filtered water through the filter cartridge 200. When the main part 505 rests sealingly on the front face 704 of the pipe socket 302, the flow speed can be set by means of a corresponding dimensioning of the spacing ribs 512. The spacing ribs 512 determine the size of the free spaces between the main part 505 and the wall of the inversion 402. The size of the free spaces can be selected so that the valve puller 501 forms a delimiting element for flow speed through the filter cartridge. The same applies accordingly for the variation of the valve puller 501, in the case of which the wall of the lateral surface is divided into a plurality of lamellae by means of slits.

[0065] A further valve puller 801 is illustrated in FIG. 8A, which, in the interest of an even further improved stabilization, has positioning ribs 802 on the pipe socket 302, which extend perpendicularly away from the main part 505. The positioning ribs 802 rise above the main part 505 in the same direction as the strips 514. On their free ends, the positioning ribs 802 in each case have a run-up slope 803. Apart from that, the valve puller 801 does not differ from the valve puller 502.

[0066] FIG. 8B shows the valve puller 801 in a perspective sectional view as it sits on the pipe socket 302, wherein, for the sake of clarity, the filter cartridge 200 is omitted in the illustration. The positioning ribs 802 engage over the pipe socket 302 from the outside and ensure that the valve puller 801 and the cartridge 200 is not canted in response to the insertion in the receiving chamber 104. The run-up slopes 803 simplify the attachment of the valve puller 801 to the pipe socket 302 or the insertion of the filter cartridge 200 in the receiving chamber 104, respectively.

[0067] The valve pullers 502, 503, 801 are formed with four strips 514 in FIGS. 5B-5D and 8A. In the case of other exemplary embodiments, in contrast, more or also fewer than four strips 514 are provided. The mode of operation of the valve pullers 502, 503 is not significantly influenced thereby.

[0068] In the described exemplary embodiments, the valve puller was illustrated as a part, which is initially separated from the filter cartridge 200 and which is inserted in the inversion 402 of the filter cartridge 200 in a final production step. Alternatively, however, it is also possible to injection-mold the valve puller with the housing bottom part 202 of the filter cartridge 200 in a single manufacturing step.

TABLE-US-00001 List of Reference Numerals 100 filter device 101 collecting vessel 102 grip 103 pouring spout 104 inflow funnel 106 receiving chamber 107 circumferential flange 108 inflow funnel bottom 109 vessel bottom 111 lid 200 filter cartridge 201 housing upper part, lid 202 housing bottom part 203 housing as a whole 204 inflow openings 206 grip part 207 sealing edge 208 housing bottom 209 circumferential side wall 301 bottom 302 pipe socket 303 valve bottom part 304 valve body 305 annular bead 306 double arrow 401a, 401b guide groove 402 inversion 403a, 403b outlet openings 404a, 404b outflow sieves 501-503 valve puller 505 main part 506 wall 507 actuation means 508 ring strip 509 grip edge 511 receiving hole 512 spacing ribs 513 windows 514 strips 516 humps 517 notches 518 free end 519 front face 520 insertion direction 601, 602 guide rings 603 webs 604 sealing surface 606 actuation section 607, 608 apertures 609 axis 701 ring gap 702a, 702b ring-shaped edge 703 gap 704 front face 706 valve seat 707 outlet opening 708 Gap 709 bottom of the inversion 801 valve puller 802 positioning ribs 803 run-up slopes