Liquid purification or separation – With repair or assembling means – Placement of container opens flow controller
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-16
2001-06-26
Simmons, David A. (Department: 1724)
Liquid purification or separation
With repair or assembling means
Placement of container opens flow controller
C210S420000, C210S456000, C210S460000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06251274
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to water treatment devices suitable for attachment to a domestic water faucet having a threaded end for normally receiving an aerator, and more particularly to a cartridge for use in such a device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has become common practice to treat tap water to further purify the water. Devices have been developed which are placed in the water line to treat the water before it reaches a faucet and other devices simply collect water from the faucet in a jug. A replacement cartridge is included in the jug so that the water passes through the cartridge before collection in the jug. A third approach has been to provide a water treatment device which can be attached directly to the faucet and which operates selectively to either allow water to pass directly from the faucet without treatment, or to pass through a water treatment cartridge before exiting from the structure. The present invention is of the type which attaches to the faucet.
Examples of devices which attach to faucets are to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,451 to Hembree, et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,868 to Yanou, et al. The general arrangement of the devices shown in these patents minimises loss of space under the faucet and permits selection of flow either without treatment or through water treatment material. In both patents, there is a side-by-side arrangement of valve assembly and a housing for the water treatment material. In the case of the patent to Hanou, et al, the housing is rotated relative to a main axis through the valve assembly to change from a straight flow through structure to a structure in which the water is diverted to flow through the water treatment material. This has become a general arrangement in structures of this kind. However, there are drawbacks.
It will be apparent that when assembling structures to conventional water faucets, there will be a variety of positions needed due to the variation in faucets and also due to their location in relation to sinks and surrounding structures. It is therefore necessary to be able to assemble the structure on the faucet so that the movement necessary to operate it is always unimpaired by surrounding structures. Also, users may prefer to have the arrangement such that the housing containing the filter material is to the left of the faucet whereas others may prefer it to the right of the faucet. Consequently, it is necessary to provide an attachment to the faucet which resists accidental movement in the wrong direction and also provides a strong positive connection.
A typical connection is shown in the Yanou, et al patent in which the structure is brought to bear against the faucet and clamped using a simple friction arrangement. The clamp is such that a tool must be applied externally and any force applied may result in damage to the structure and an unsightly result. Further, a large force is necessary to ensure positive connection so that when the user moves the housing to operate the device, the device will not rotate on the end of the faucet.
It is therefore desirable to provide a water treatment device which does not suffer from these disadvantages and which has a more positive connection resulting in a more positive “feel” when the structure is being operated by a user.
Another disadvantage of the prior art structure is that, once the water has been treated, it comes into contact with surrounding structures. This is undesirable and it is also an object of the present invention to provide a cartridge for use in a water treatment device such that treated water will leave the cartridge directly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one of its aspects, the invention provides for treating water issuing from a faucet of the type having a threaded outlet for receiving an aerator. The faucet attachment has a valve assembly including a generally cylindrical inner structure disposed about a main axis, and an outer structure rotatably mounted about the inner structure for limited angular motion about the main axis between a first position and a second position. The inner structure has a faucet attachment for threadably engaging the thread on the faucet to seal the faucet attachment to the faucet, and a valve element below the faucet attachment. The outer structure has a main body and an attachment ring cooperating with the main body to contain the inner structure and includes a first outlet below the valve element, and a second outlet extending orthogonally with respect to said main axis. A generally cylindrical housing is disposed about a central axis lying in parallel with the main axis, and the housing is attached to the valve assembly. An inlet in the housing receives water from the second outlet and a bottom exit is provided on the housing dispensing treated water. The housing is movable angularly with respect to the main axis between a first position in which water leaves through a first outlet and a second position in which water passes through the second outlet, through the housing and leaves through the bottom exit. The faucet attachment is first assembled on the faucet by tightening the faucet attachment on the faucet, and then the valve element is positioned and located angularly in the faucet attachment before completing the assembly.
In another of its aspects, the invention provides a cartridge for use in a faucet attachment.
These and other aspects of the invention will be better understood with reference to the following description and drawings.
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Shepherd Charles G.
Shepherd Marjorie E.
Envirogard Products Limited
Lawrence Frank M.
Scott Christopher R.
Shepherd Marjorie E.
Simmons David A.
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