Water Filtration Device

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a portable, single-chambered, hand-pressurized water filtration device employing a two-part filtration unit consisting of a ceramic filter and an activated charcoal filter through which pressurized water is forced, filtered and removed via a spigot in fluid communication with the filtration unit.

Claims

1. A water filtration device which comprises: an air-tight, single-chambered container having inner and outer surfaces, a top side, a bottom side, a continuously curving lateral side extending between said top side and said bottom side, and wherein said top side is a removable lid attached to the contiguous upper perimeter of said curving side; a lidded opening positioned within said lid serving as a port for the introduction of water to be filtered by said device and fitted with a strainer for the removal of any debris in said water; a spigot attached to the outer surface of said lateral side; a two-part filtration unit positioned on the inner surface of said lateral side, threadably attached to, and in fluid communication with, said spigot, said filtration unit having a ceramic filter and an activated charcoal filter; and a hand-activated pump attached to said removable lid to pressurize water within said device, forcing said water through said filtration unit and into said spigot by which said filtered water can be removed from said device.

2. The water filtration device according to claim 1 wherein said ceramic filter has a pore size of between 0.2 and 0.3 microns.

3. The water filtration device according to claim 1 wherein said activated charcoal filter is positioned between said ceramic filter and said spigot.

4. The water filtration device according to claim 1 wherein said lid of said lidded opening engages with said opening in a friction fit.

5. The water filtration device according to claim 1 wherein said lid of said lidded opening engages with said opening in a threaded fit.

6. The water filtration device according to claim 1 wherein said two-part filtration unit is threadably attached to a filter housing.

7. The water filtration device according to claim 1 wherein said ceramic and activated charcoal filters are threadably attached.

8. The water filtration device according to claim 1 further including a handle.

9. A method of filtering untreated water employing a device according to claim 1 which comprises: pouring water through said lidded opening serving as a port for the introduction of water to be filtered and straining for the removal of debris; closing said lidded opening; activating said hand-pump to pressurize said water in said air-tight container; and opening said spigot to urge said pressurized water through said two-part filtration unit and into said spigot for removal from said device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the water filtration device in partial cross-section.

[0013] FIG. 2 is an enlarged, isolated, partial cross-sectional view of the filtration unit and spigot. And,

[0014] FIG. 3 is an enlarged, isolated, cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the filtration unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] FIG. 1, a schematic representation of the water filtration device 10 described and claimed herein, depicts all elements of the water filtration device. The air-tight container 12 is conventional in that it has a top side 14, which is a removable lid permitting easy access to the interior of the container. Access to the interior is important to enable cleaning the container from time to time and servicing the two-part filtration unit 40. Servicing the filtration unit will involve simply removing the lid 14 for cleaning and/or replacing the filters. The lid is removably attached to the container 12 in any of several ways. Typically, there is either a friction fit or threadable attachment between the lid 14 and the upper, outer perimeter 22 of the lateral side 18 of the container. In whichever manner the lid 14 is attached to the container 12, an air-tight fit is essential for the effective use of the filtration device 10.

[0016] The lateral side 18 of the container is continuously curving giving the container 12 a rounded shape. The container has, of course, a bottom side 16 diametrically opposed to the top or lid 14 of the container. To facilitate transporting and manipulating the device 10, a carrying means 20, or handle, is conveniently attached to the lateral side 18.

[0017] The lid 14 also has a lidded 26 port 25 for the introduction of water for filtration into the device 10. The port 25 is equipped with a fitting 30, typically annular, positioned in the plane of the lid. The fitting is designed to accommodate the lid 26, which can be threaded 29 to mate with a threaded 31 fitting 30, or the lid and fitting can be engaged and secured with a friction fit. The purpose of the port lid 26 is, of course, to ensure the air-tightness of the container 12 to facilitate the effectiveness of the filtration device 10.

[0018] The port 25 is also equipped with a strainer 28, typically attached to and suspended from fitting 30 within perimeter of the orifice of the port. The strainer 28 is the first level of filtration for water introduced into the device 10. The strainer 28 has a mesh fine enough to prevent large particle debris from entering the container 12, yet large enough to permit and to enable the filtration device to be filled rapidly to effect efficient filtration of the water. The strainer 28 will need to be accessed for routine cleaning, and that can be accomplished by removing the port lid 26 and disengaging the strainer from its fitting and the port, or by removing the container lid 14.

[0019] While the strainer 28 is effective for removing gross material from the water to be filtered by the device 10, meaningful filtration to provide potable water is achieved by a two-part filtration unit 40. The filtration unit 40 is attached to the lower, interior lateral side 18 of the container and comprises two filtration elements: a ceramic filter 42 and an activated carbon filter 44.

[0020] Water filtration by the filtration device 10 is effected by forcing or urging strained water in the container through the two-part filtration unit 40 and through a threaded exit fitting 46 to which the filter housing 47 and the spigot 35 are diametrically attached. The water in the container of the device is forced or urged through the two-part filtration unit 40 by means of a hand-activated pump 50 positioned in the removable lid 14.

[0021] The hand-pump 50 is conveniently attached to the removable lid 14 of the device. Preferably, it is a simple compression pump having a pair of valves 55 and 57, a pressure plate 52 for the application of force by the palm of the hand on the air in the bellows 53, which, in turn, forces air through valve 55 into the interior of the container 12, thus pressurizing the water in the container directing its exit via the open spigot after being filtered by the two-part filter unit. After the bellows is collapsed and the air expelled, the bellows is biased to return to its expanded state. Valve 55 closes, valve 57 opens, air re-enters the bellows 53 and the hand-pumping action can once again be initiated, and repeated until all or most of the water is filtered through the two-part filtration unit and dispensed through the spigot.

[0022] A preferred embodiment of the two-part filtration unit 40 is depicted schematically in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the ceramic filter 42 and the activated charcoal filter 44 are threaded 48, 49 so that the filters can be joined and subsequently disengaged to permit cleaning and/or replacement of one or the other, as necessary. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the charcoal filter 44 is securely positioned in housing 47, which, in turn, is firmly attached through to a threaded exit fitting 46 in fluid communication with the spigot 35, which extends through the container wall and, in turn, is threadably 41 attached to mating threads 43 on a spigot 35, which is aligned with the filtration unit on the exterior side of the container wall 18. An O-ring 45 preserves an air-tight seal between the connection of the filtration unit housing 47 and the spigot 35. The spigot 35 is equipped with an on/off valve 36 to diminish the pressure effected by the hand-pump 50 thus encouraging the pressurized water to enter the two-stage filter unit and to exit the filtration device.

[0023] It is preferable for the pressurized water in the device 10 to initially enter the ceramic aspect 42 of the two-part filter. To increase the effectiveness and rate of filtration, the ceramic filter 42 is rounded or domed to increase the exposed surface area of the filter. The pores of the ceramic filter are between 0.2-0.3 microns. Pressurized water passing through the ceramic filter is cleansed of all suspended particles, most metals and almost all bacteria and viruses.

[0024] The second filtration element of the two-part filtration unit 42 is the activated charcoal filter 44 positioned between the ceramic filter 42 and the threaded fluid communication exit means 46 leading to the spigot 35. The charcoal filter 44 removes organic material, typically the source of objectionable odors, form the pressurized water and improves the taste or smell of the water markedly.

[0025] FIG. 3 is an alternative embodiment of the two-stage filtration unit 40. In this embodiment, the two-part filtration unit 40 is fused into a single unit, and when being serviced or replaced both the ceramic and the charcoal parts of the filtration unit are removed. In the embodiment of FIG. 3. the ceramic filter 42 envelopes the activated charcoal filter 44 and removal of both filters is facilitated by detaching the threaded 48 ceramic filter 42 from the threaded 51 filter housing 47. This embodiment primarily illustrates an easier way to service the filtration unit of the device.

[0026] The water filtration device 10 disclosed herein is designed and intended to be easily serviceable in the most remote and disadvantaged corners of the world. The device needs to be inexpensive to manufacture and maintain. All of the parts and/or elements of the device, except for the ceramic and activated carbon filters can be molded or fabricated from relatively inexpensive plastic materials that could be easy to transport and stock in the most primitive of environments or economies.

[0027] While the foregoing is a detailed and complete description of the preferred embodiment of the disclosed water filtration device, it should be apparent that numerous variations and modifications could be made to the disclosed device and utilized to implement the overall purpose of the device without deviating or departing from the spirit of the invention, which is fairly defined by the appended claims.